


The Evil Queen's Chambers

by swanqueer_x



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-29
Updated: 2016-09-28
Packaged: 2018-06-05 05:53:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 37,628
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6692209
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/swanqueer_x/pseuds/swanqueer_x
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What happens when it's the wrong time, and it's with the wrong person?<br/>...<br/>It doesn't matter, because it feels right anyway.</p><p>Emma and Hook have just fell through Zelena's Time Portal.</p><p>A true love to unite.<br/>A ball.<br/>Spells.<br/>Broken mirrors,<br/>broken hearts.</p><p>And that's where it all starts. </p><p>~ A fic that uses canon moments from the season 3 finale onwards, but is rewritten for Swan Queen purposes. There's a bit of Hook and Hood in this but don't be put off, I know what I'm gonna do with them. ~ </p><p>ENJOY! </p><p>(Taking a break until I really want to tell this story. Apologies.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Evil Queen

**Chapter One ******

********

Her last thought had come true. Emma felt the words making their way out, excited and equally petrified, "Regina's here." 

* 

Half an hour ago, during the Waltz with Hook, Emma couldn't help but reflect on events since she and him had fell through Zelena's Time Portal. She'd interrupted her parents first meeting in the forest (first monumental mistake) but she had caught a glimpse of their true love, and it had filled her with joy, even if it was short-lived. 

 

"If I really made a mistake, I wouldn't be here right now," she thought to herself, trying to console herself with the facts. "Plus, ever since we sought out the Dark One, no-one has been able to see us under this glamour spell. I've assumed the identity of Princess Leia and Hook has become Prince Charles. So hopefully no-one will see us as who we really are." 

 

She then started to think about when she saw Regina... No... The Evil Queen... Entering a town and sentencing that innocent, helpless girl to death for helping Snow White. "The Regina I know, she is so different to the woman she previously was, in both behaviour and even more so, clothing. Thinking about clothing, I can't decide which clothes I prefer: the silk blouses and pantsuits or the tight-corsets and dresses," she laughed to herself. She was thinking about how she would deliver this moment to Regina back in Storybrooke, and laughed again, out-loud this time. 

 

Hook had been giving her the glad eye all night. He noticed Emma laughing to herself, "what love, has something made you laugh?" Emma realised she must have laughed out loud, embarrassed, she stuttered, "no! I'm just enjoying this, the ball, the history... I just had no clue this would happen when I woke up this morning." 

 

"Aye," nodded Hook in agreement, "me neither Swan. But I'm not complaining. Especially with you in that dress." Hook proceeded to wink at Emma, gesturing to her red dress. He then pulled her in a little too close as they danced. She scoffed to herself, "the amount of times he says 'aye,' doesn't he know by now I'm fully aware, just as well as everyone else, he's a pirate? Ah well, he's trying. And he doesn't look too bad." 

 

As she thought this, she looked him up and down in a split second, so as to make it subtle. His suit was brown and very neat, especially when compared to his normal clothing. She did fancy him, the attraction was there. But she wasn't exactly sure what else she felt for him. The fire wasn't there. He didn't ignite a passion inside of her like R... 

 

"Nope." She thought to herself. She was very accustomed to stopping herself admitting this, so she did. After a quick half-smile to show recognition of Hook's compliment, perhaps which was far too delayed, Emma looked around at the glistening chandelier's and the golden bowls toppled with food. 

 

"Magic truly does make things look beautiful." She thought to herself. 

 

She then continued to think about how different Regina looked, as for some reason, it brought her light entertainment. Although, this began to make her feel a pang of guilt for laughing. "Why am I laughing? She was a killer... A cold and heartless killer." Emma knew this, but added in reply to herself, "But she wasn't heartless! Regina was burned by love just like everyone else - everything she did was out of pain. Sure, she's done really bad things, but the Regina I know, the one back in Storybrooke, she's the Evil Queen too, meaning the Regina I know is in there, somewhere." 

 

Questions and moral compromises filled Emma's head. She felt stressed; she was always battling with herself when Regina was involved. She decided to just let it go; to try and enjoy her night with Hook, to try and immerse herself in the rhythmical dances of the Prince and Princesses around her. 

 

Only, for some reason, she just couldn't shake the feeling - what if she hadn't seen the last of the renowned Evil Queen, surely she would have been invited to this ball? Just as this thought entered her head, the thundering sound of the entrance doors swung open. 

 

She was here.

*

After realising she said "Regina's here" far too loud, Emma turned to Hook to see his reaction - it was equally as fearful as her own. The Queen was wearing a black corset equipped with an equally dark dress. Its tail was spread out across the golden floor, and her boots hit the ground with force as she strode into the large hall, head held high and her lengthy deep black locks bouncing off her back. The Queen felt regal and full of pride as her subjects quivered at the mere sight of her. As soon as Emma and Hook saw this, they dashed out, hoping they were not seen. 

In the corner, at the back of the glamorous hall, the Queen observed a flash of red; the exiting of a blonde-haired woman in a bright dress along with her tall, brown-haired male accomplice. Her long leather glove extended and pointed to them. "Guards, follow those two. I want to know why they departed when their Queen entered." She picked up a ripe strawberry from the dishes on the table. "Maybe they have something to hide." She declared with a sickly smile. She then laughed deeply, and bit sensually into the strawberry, licking her lips she spoke again, this time to herself while smiling widely, "I will always prefer apples." Her smile then turned into a manic laugh, then she added, "they're more...deadly." 

Hook pawed at Emma's hand as they ran out onto the balcony; he wanted to keep her close. The Queen's arrival evoked the feeling within them both, they needed to see if Snow White had stolen the Prince's ring. This would hopefully seal their second meeting, and secure Emma's birth. Pale and out of breath, Emma's face filled with joy when she observed Snow White abseiling down the castle and Prince Charming yelling "I will find you, thief. I will ALWAYS find you." 

Emma slipped out from Hook's grip, throwing her arms up, only for a brief moment, to express her joy. Turning to Hook, she gasped happily, "she must have the ring! They will meet again, and we can both go home knowing my mistake didn't matter! True love wins out." She said the final sentence plainly. As Hook went to grab Emma in a happy embrace, one of Regina's Black Guards barged in-between them with a bow and arrow - aiming for Snow. 

"No!" yelled Emma, pushing him onto the cold, unforgiving floor. 

Hook grabbed Emma from the behind, "Christ love, we really have to go." Emma looked into his fearful eyes and knew they needed to get out, and fast. They couldn't orientate their way around Midas' castle, and Emma, unknowingly, ran right into the centre of the hall where the Queen was proudly standing, one hand on her hip and the other cupping her face. 

The Queen's smile developed into a smirk, and her eyes into pure excitement. "Oh, and what do we have here?" she glared down smiling at the mysterious stranger in the red dress, a striking colour. 

Hook hid into the corner and tried to make himself as invisible as possible. He started to kick himself for tailing behind, but knew there was a chance of saving Emma if he managed not to get captured. 

A limping Black Guard came racing in, slipping and sliding on the newly-polished floor. It was the one Emma pushed on the ground. "Excuse me my Majesty, but she helped assist Snow White, she's a traitor!" 

The Queen's right eyebrow raised and she smiled down at Emma, "I see... And who are you?" Emma replied, stuttering, "I, Regina, I..." before she could continue, the Queen cut in, placing her finger on Emma's lips, "THAT, stranger, is far too informal. You will address me as 'Your Majesty', as I AM your QUEEN. Never let me hear you say my name again. But then, I suppose, you won't have much of a chance to. I suspect your night has just begun." She laughed, and then added, "she came with a brown-haired, tall male. Find him." Emma was breathless, with fear and anticipation, her mouth open "Your Majesty, I..." The Queen cut in once again, smiling proudly, "that's better. But...there really is no time for excuses," the Queen then proceeded to yell "Guards! Take this one. But not to the dungeons, no, that's too kind. Take her... Take her with me." 

Emma was startled, being up close and personal with Regina as the Evil Queen was...mind-blowing. 

Hook slowly crept out of the nearest door, trying desperately hard not to draw attention to himself, knowing not what to do, as the Queen was taking Emma someplace else, somewhere he would not be able to save her.  



	2. Events in the Enchanted Forest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Uh-oh.
> 
> \- Rozz Cottrell, @SwanQueer_x on Twitter, enjoy! :)

**Chapter Two**

Emma looked over her shoulder as she was being carried out, arm-in-arm with two of Regina's rough and frankly foul-smelling Black Guards. 

In the corner she saw a flash of brown - Hook's hair, he'd managed to escape. She could hear the multiple footsteps of the Queen, herself, and the guards echo around the room. A sense of relief filled her, but also a sense of guilt. "If only my magic still worked..." Emma teased herself with this notion, "but then Regina might see who I really am and remember me later on. And I wouldn't be able to take that risk. Who knows what she'd do? She's the Evil Queen here. But the Regina I know and the Regina Henry knows, she's in there. Somewhere. My friend...my..." 

Emma shrugged off these thoughts. What was she doing? The woman she is walking behind is the Evil Queen, the one who enacted a curse out of vengeance on her parents. Not the woman whom she promised to find happiness for, not the woman who looked after her son for years, not the woman who is just desperate to feel like she belongs, not the woman who gave her a happy, normal life in New York at the sacrifice of her own, not the woman who made her discover her full magical potential. 

Regina Mills is in there, though.

This thought provoked Emma to think of when she and Regina first met, and how desperately thirsty Regina was for Emma's destruction. She tried just about everything to destroy her. This was the woman she was dealing with here, but deadlier. Not the woman she had grown to like, who had equally grown to like her. Hate, or whatever it was at the start, her and Regina did have a connection, even if it was just a competitive and angst-ridden spark. Emma knew this was mostly just her own denial, and that the spark they felt, even if it was just her own, was more. But what she didn't know - and what she had previously failed to ask herself while fighting with her thoughts once again, was the fact Regina didn't ask the guards to escort her to the dungeons.

Why isn't she sentencing her to death? And what could she mean by the ominous "Your night has just begun"? 

She was being escorted out of the dazzling building when the Queen looked at her from the corner of her eye, and spoke intimidatingly to the Black Guards. "You take the carriage, lock this one away when you arrive. You know what to do. I'll be in my chambers. I will order you in when I require her presence." The Guards nodded and bowed, simultaneously chanting "yes, Your Majesty." 

With that, the Queen vanished into a puff of purple smoke. Emma gulped. Who was she dealing with here? The Regina she knew? Or the Evil Queen she used to be? Emma's unfaltering belief in Regina was tiring her. She then, reluctantly, thought to Hook. She was worried that he would head straight first into danger, coming to rescue her. The last thing she wanted was for him to get hurt, and she didn't want another reason why she should love him. 

"Where in the Enchanted Forest has he found himself? I hope that he is out of danger. I need to find my own way out of here. I can't let anyone get hurt for me." Just as she thought that to herself, she realised, she couldn't do anything while under the watchful eye of the Queen.

*

The Evil Queen appeared in her candle-lit chambers, standing directly in-front of her body-length mirror.

She looked in the mirror at her regal dress, its décor on the corset. She then gazed up at her smooth, silky dark hair, and her perfectly crafted makeup. Oh how she loved to cause fear amongst her subjects with her fierce looks.

The room she stood in was impeccable. A balcony viewed the entirety of the Enchanted Forest. Regina thought, whilst looking in the mirror, about how she had just stumbled upon an apparent supporter of Snow White. But she had suspected it was more than that.

She could tell right away the handiwork of the Dark One, Rumplestiltskin. He had bestowed a glamour spell on that mysterious girl. Her true self had bright, ocean blue eyes, high cheekbones, a button nose and bright red-lipstick to accompany her equally bright-red dress. Regina couldn't help noticing her striking beauty. The dress stuck out right away. She felt a twinge of jealousy, and also something else, something quite unfamiliar and forgotten. So she chose to ignore it, giving into the darkness.

Instead she ate one of her dark-red apples and thought fondly upon what the events of the night may lead to. Another heart being added to her collection was definitely at the top of her to-do list. She wondered as to why Rumplestiltskin had delivered this woman to her. She must be a spy, Regina thought. But she also thought that Rumple was far too clever for this, and could appear at any time, as he was rarely summoned by her these days.

On reflection, she thought, "I probably could have just brought her here myself. I could have got all my information, another heart, and either controlled her if she seemed of use, or killed her. But that kind of effort is not a job for a Queen. I will just wait until my men bring her to me." For now, she thought, "I shall write." With that, she strolled over to her desk, sat down, and in a puff of purple smoke a book and an ink and quill appeared. 

She began writing, awaiting the mysterious stranger to appear. She began her entry with the loathing and anger she felt towards that darn accomplice, who seemed to have got away. He was probably under a glamour spell too, she thought.

*

Hook's feet started to ache. 

He'd been running for one whole hour, and had found himself on a long winding road covered in dark green leaves and tree roots. The roots had emerged out from under the floor, and were protruding into his shoe soles and tripping him up every minute or so. He felt helpless and quite frankly, pathetic. 

"Why did I become a Hero?" he asked himself half-laughing. He would have gone to the dungeons, he kept whispering to himself, "but I wouldn't find her there. The Queen wanted to entrap her personally. And it would just be a suicide mission. No, I need someone to help, anyone, and we need to get in and get Emma out."

His thoughts jumped from fairy-tale character to fairy-tale character - who would he seek out? The obvious answer was Rumplestiltskin, of course. He'd previously helped Emma and him with the glamour spell, cloaking their true identities. Hook realised this, but said, out-loud, "he only did that because Emma promised he would find Baelfire in the future. He hates me, if I do this, if I summon him, he might kill me. This is suicide as well. But I can't do nothing..." 

Before Hook could continue rambling to himself, the Dark One appeared cross-legged on a tree-stump behind him. "Hello, dearie." Rumplestiltskin's green skin glistened in the moonlight, and he wavered his right hand, re-crossed his legs and smiled teasingly at Hook. Hook rolled his eyes and turned to face him, "I didn't even summon you Crocodile." 

"For once, we are in agreement," Rumplestiltskin smiled and stood up, "you didn't, no. But I heard about the disruption at the hall, and I knew that you'd be running away, like the coward you are, Killian." Just after Rumplestiltskin said this, he laughed, his laugh resembling that of an excited child. Killian looked down at his arm and resisted the urge to plough his hook into the tree next to Rumple. "Coming from you, Crocodile, that is rich." Rumple sneered at this comment. 

"That, dearie, I also agree with. But onto more pressing matters. Ms Swan, it seems, has been captured by her Majesty the Queen. Oh dear, oh dear, what will you do?" Hook sneered at the Dark One, "less of the sarcasm and more of the helping Emma. You got us into this mess, now you can get us out of it." Rumple raised his right eyebrow and smiled smugly, "I, got you into this mess?" he scoffed. "Your beloved Swan is the one who decided to mess up the most important moment, the one which ensured her very own creation. No, I will not take the blame for that dearie. Tell me, what do you expect me to do? Magic you into the castle so you can be killed too? Not likely, that would be too easy. My revenge for you needs to be sweet." 

Hook took a sharp intake of breath and his jaw muscles started to twitch, he was getting angry with Rumplestiltskin. But for Emma's sake, he needed to calm down. "Less of the games. I could find the Wolf and maybe even Snow White, but you warned us before about affecting timelines..." 

"That I did," Rumplestiltskin agreed, "but since you seem to have forgotten, I shall remind you. I bestowed a glamour spell on you dearie. Just tell Snow White you are Prince Charles and in search of your Princess." He smirked, and then the Dark One vanished into a puff of a black smoke. 

Hook stared down the endless path of brown, wiry trees, and walked for a few hours. There was a thick, loud crunch every time he trampled on the green leaves and the odd frail twig. Hook sighed as he looked up at the moon. He worried greatly for Emma's safety. He was thinking about how absent she had seemed during their dance, away, indulging in her own thoughts. He had a brief idea of what he had to do to save her, and went about settling down for the night. He needed to rest before finding Snow White.


	3. Tears And Hearts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> -Rozz Cottrell, @swanqueer_x on Twitter, enjoy! :)

**Chapter Three**

Emma had been put into a poorly lit, freezing-cold room while the Black Guards awaited their orders from the Queen. Of course she wanted to try and escape, and it would have been the perfect opportunity to, if the Guards had not stumbled in with a rope to tie her to the tremendously uncomfortable chair she was sat on. Whenever Emma tugged at the ropes, they got tighter. She figured they weren't any ordinary ropes and that they were probably magically made or enchanted. "Of course they are," Emma declared to herself, "If she's going to kill me, then why all the theatrics? From what I've seen, this is not her style. What does she want from me?" 

* 

Emma heard a sudden bang, a clunk and then an unlocking sound. A burst of adrenaline ran through her, putting her on edge to the point where the ropes had grown so tight around her she could barely breathe. A flash of light almost blinded her, the door swung open. "Hook!" she yelled, expectantly. Alas, it was one of Regina's Black Guards. He laughed in his mask, and grabbed her off the chair, leaving the ropes around her so she couldn't try and run. "Oh god." She spoke, out-loud this time. 

 

After reluctantly being dragged up a dark, endless staircase, she came to what she could observe as the Evil Queen's Chambers. The floor was hard and unforgiving, and she could hear every footstep she and the Guards made, echoing louder and louder as it reached an open entrance with a warm fire and candles lit everywhere. If she hadn't been expectant of imminent death, she might have took more notice of the gothic details carved into the candelabra's. She heard a deep cackling getting louder and louder which she recognised as Regina's. 

 

"Oh god indeed, miss blonde hair, blue eyes." 

 

Emma gulped, but tried to remain silent and nonchalant. She couldn't help but feel exposed in this open plan, sinister room, with the Queen standing over her in her tight-fitted, revealing dress. "Let go of her," ordered the Queen to the Guards, "and leave my chambers." Their grip loosened, and in a puff of purple smoke the Queen swiped away Emma's ropes. "Thank you, your Majesty." Emma, after Regina's last outburst, figured this was the right thing to say. "Yes, hmm," declared Regina, holding a quill in one hand. 

 

She'd just been writing something down, Emma observed. Regina then proceeded, with her cherry-tinted lips, to chew on the bottom of it for a brief second, then put it down on her dressing table, which was covered in a black-lace throw. 

 

Emma and Regina kept making eye contact, one second Regina would look at her, mumble something to herself, look away, look in the mirror, mumble something else, then look back at Emma. 

 

"What I can't understand," Regina began, "is why Rumplestiltskin sent you to spy on me. I considered the idea you were just a Snow White supporter, but I was thinking, what is the coincidence of a Snow White supporter simultaneously being under a spell? You must be a spy. Rumplestiltskin has eyes everywhere, but if you are a spy, why would he allow you to walk straight into my path? I can't seem to put my finger on it." 

 

Her eyes glistened in the warm light of the candles and the crackling fireplace. She then looked down to her bowl of blood-red apples, then to Emma directed, "Apple?" Emma looked at Regina in the hope for a sign of the Regina she knows, but all she could see was pain entangled with darkness. She shuck her head, realised her mistake and added "...your Majesty." "Oh, so you're accustomed to my tricks then. You are a spy," she hissed. 

 

Emma couldn't handle this much longer. She couldn't handle Regina circling her like a tiger stalking their prey. It was like being at the early stages of their relationship, when she first came to Storybrooke. She tried to conjure up a believable story, "I assure you I am not a spy, I'm just an ordinary peasant. I acquired this dress from my mother who passed away. I just wanted to go to a ball, I've never been to one, you see. And I didn't assist Snow White, I'm loyal to my Queen," bowing, she then added "I'm sure you can understand, Your Majesty. Your revenge lies with Mar - Snow White, not me." Emma's left-hand made its way to her mouth, surely she had just spoken out of turn. The Queen was as shocked with this outburst as Emma. With one eyebrow arched and lips pursed, she took a step closer to Emma, "And what do you know of my... Revenge?" Rolling the 'r' off her tongue. 

 

"Your lies do not work with me, spy of Rumplestiltskin. He would never bestow a spell on an ordinary peasant. Also, where else would you get a dress so... Ravishing?" Regina rolled the final word off her tongue again, purely for effect. She liked her own portrayal of the dark, alluring, but intimidating woman, far too much. Emma could tell by the glint in her eyes she meant to scare her. Regina cut in, before Emma could say anything in response, "I mean, does he really think those glamour spells work with me? He, himself, cloaked me with one!" 

 

Emma felt sweat dripping onto her cheek. "She can see me, the real me." Emma knew that this time, this mistake could not be fixed. She stammered, the realisation Regina could see her hit her fast, as she had been so distracted by being in the presence of Regina as the Evil Queen, she had failed to realise what this actually meant. 

 

"Wait you can see me?" 

 

The Queen smiled, "of course I can, that's what I've been saying all this time, high cheekbones and button nose." She scoffed, "Peasant! Ha, like I'd fall for that. Now, tell me who you are and what you want before I rip your heart out from your very chest." And with that Regina leapt up close to Emma, glaring down manically at her. Emma could feel Regina's hot breath on her face, the hairs on the back of her neck standing on edge. As she looked-up into her sparkling brown eyes, for a second, a tiny second, she saw the spark she once saw back in Storybrooke. The spark she just loved seeing. 

 

Regina, in that moment, had felt something so forgotten to her it made her furious. She recognised, as she got close to this woman, that she had been wavering because of how striking she found her. 

 

As an all-knowing smile started to creep onto Emma's face, the Queen violently tore Emma's heart out from her chest. Emma gasped for air and saw the Queen's eyes turn back to darkness once again. 

 

"Regina, please!" croaked Emma. "Shut it," spat Regina, "I saw you smiling. Do you think me weak? I am your Queen and you will show me some respect! Tell me who you are. TELL. ME." 

 

Emma couldn't help it, her vision was blurred with tears. She couldn't bear leaving Henry without saying goodbye, she couldn't bear the guilt her parents and Hook would feel on hearing of her death. She then thought of her growing friendship with Regina, and how they had both sacrificed their happiness for each other. How she had denied her feelings for Regina so many times. How she dismissed them as nothing and convinced herself it was all one-sided and that Hook was a better option. 

 

But she noticed something during this revelation of self, Regina hadn't crushed her heart yet. And when she looked up, the Queen, no, Regina, was crying slightly too. "I can't crush it, she wailed, squeezing and squeezing on Emma's heart. "Why can't I crush it? Why won't it crush?" She grabbed Emma by her hair, "What are you?" 

 

Emma, with bloodshot eyes and a face moist with tears, couldn't hold it in any longer. "I'm your friend!" 

 

The final word rolled off her tongue so loudly, one of Regina's many mirrors smashed and the sound resonated down the spiralled stair case, and out of the open balcony which viewed the entirety of the Enchanted Forest. "You are my what?" Regina replied quietly, putting Emma's heart back into her chest, looking deeply into her blue-green eyes that were pooling with tears.


	4. Rumplestiltskin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> \- Rozz Cottrell, @swanqueer_x on Twitter, enjoy! :)

**Chapter Four**

It took a lot of effort to fully explain, and convince Regina, of the upcoming events.

In those strenuous days, Hook had been planning his route into the castle with Red and Snow, who were happy, eventually, to help a stranger in need. 

After his first night of disturbed sleep, Hook rose from his leaf-made blanket and sat up. "Not too shy of old times," he chuckled half-heartedly to himself, then resumed twitching his jaw as he considered summoning Rumplestiltskin again. "That bloody crocodile, he didn't think to tell me where Snow could be? She's on the run. She could be absolutely anywhere!" and with that, he kicked the bundle of dry leaves in-front of him, and to his surprise, stubbed his toe on a nearby trunk. "AGH!! This bloody Enchanted Forest. This is why I stayed in Neverland! Oh how I miss The Jolly Roger..." He turned around, realising that he'd said this out-loud (again) and that he must surely look like a madman. He gave into the hope of a better idea. 

"Rumplestiltskin" he muffled, rolling his eyes and leaning against a tree almost covered in ivy. He folded his arms, a little louder this time, "Rumplestiltskin," he moved off the tree, looked around at the abundance of trees and then huffed, even louder "Rumplebloodystiltskin." 

Nothing. 

He got up, turned around, and out of nowhere Rumplestiltskin appeared smiling sickly with his beady eyes fixated on Hook. 

"You summoned me dearie, and what is your request?" Before Hook could reply, Rumplestiltskin cut in excitedly, "trick question! I know what it is. Nyahaha. Stupidly you didn't think to ask me the most important of questions last night," Rumplestiltskin said smugly, "however, considering you have that usual... Wounded puppy look, I'll make a deal with you." 

Hook rolled his eyes, sighed, and put his thumb to his lip and wavered his hand, "well go on then." 

Rumplestiltskin continued with anticipation in his eyes, "you tell me first: does Baelfire ever forgive me?" Hook was unwilling to, but knew that he needed to find a way to save Emma, and The Dark One was the most resourceful tool, so inevitably he would divulge this. "I will. But first Crocodile, tell me, is there any point in my venture? Surely by now the Queen has ripped Emma's heart out of her chest? I was tossing and turning all night, I should have just followed the bloody Queen out of the building. Emma's all alone and it's all my fault..." 

Rumplestiltskin cackled loudly this time, "Poor Hook. Ever the piner for the beautiful woman. But no, she has not. Do you think I would have allowed you to do absolutely nothing all night if Miss Swan was in any real danger? No, no. She's far too important in my plans. And the Queen, I know well. If there's one thing about her I know, it's that she loves a mystery. She won't be able to resist cracking Emma. I didn't foresee her seeing underneath my glamour spell though." 

Hook took a step-forward and gritted his teeth angrily, "She's seen Emma! You know what this means, don't you? She'll recognise her the very second she enters Storybrooke!" Rumplestiltskin pouted, mimicking Hook's wounded facial expression, "I'll see to that, dearie. I'll slip her a forgetting potion once you've saved your Emma. But maybe she won't want to forget..." Rumple left this sentence unfinished, his lip curled and he smiled teasingly, so as to render Hook speechless. 

"Start your journey tonight, I'm afraid Miss Snow White is fulfilling her destiny by meeting Prince Charming today. "But now, tell me what I want to know. Does Baelfire forgive me?" Rumplestiltskin enquired with wistful eyes. Hook replied, nodding, "Yes..." his face then twisted uncomfortably. 

"What? What is that for?" Rumple enquired desperately, leaning in to Hook. "He...Baelfire, he... He dies. But he dies a hero and loving you." Rumplestiltskin's jaw fell and he clung onto a tree behind him and seemed to shudder from his head all through to his feet. 

Before Hook had the chance to ask what exactly Rumple meant by Regina not wanting to forget Emma, The Dark One had vanished into a puff of black smoke and left a scroll lying on the floor. It was a map of the Enchanted Forest, within it the location of Snow White was marked along with the quickest route there. "I suppose I'll be making my way... North-West tonight then," he declared to himself. His stomach rumbled, and Hook found himself heading to the nearest pub to Snow he could find, thinking of Emma and wishing for her safety the whole way there.


	5. Taming the Queen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> -Rozz Cottrell, @swanqueer_x on Twitter, enjoy! :)

**Chapter Five**

Emma woke up. 

A deep purple pillow. A black silk bed cover and quilt threaded with a swirling purple detail. A sweet, fresh smell kept coming in waves from the covers. A hollow, stony floor. The sun was rising, in a beautiful amalgamation of purple, red, orange and pale blue. The fire was crackling, but it didn't lessen the harsh cold coming from outside. 

Emma was pretty sure she had slept in a small room adjacent to Regina last night, the first night since the Evil Queen found out they are friends in the future. 

She sat up, and reflected on the events of the night before. Regina couldn't crush her heart - why? 

And after Emma said that they were friends, Regina asked how, and Emma told her that events in future lead to it. The next thing she knew, she'd been transported to the very room she was in now. 

She could hear Regina pacing up and down all night. "Does she believe me?" Emma asked herself, not knowing the answer. "She must believe me, or suspect I'm telling the truth, otherwise, why would she have gave up so early? Why not send me to sleep on a cold, hard floor? I'm sure this is her second room..." 

After this final thought, Emma noticed an interesting dark oak wardrobe in the corner. She made her way over to it. The first dress she saw slipping out of it was even more beautiful in person than in Henry's book. It was dark blue, with a lighter blue decoration on the front and the arms. There was gold threaded into the centre of it, and golden beads with a hint of silver on the sleeves. The second dress was striking, it was black with red swirls threaded in, came in tight at the waist, and had a silver décor all up the front. 

Emma was unsure why she found this clothing so interesting, she figured it was probably just because it made her think about what life may have been like if her parents hadn't sent her away. She couldn't repel the urge to try it on, so took the dress out of the wardrobe, making her way to the mirror. In it she saw herself, and Regina's dress, but the two just didn't seem to go. Truthfully, she found all the Queen's clothing strikingly beautiful, and she had often wondered what Regina looked like in it. 

On moving the dress to put it back in the wardrobe, she was hit by the same sweet smell from before, on Regina's covers, coming in waves from the wardrobe. She found the smell intoxicating. But she resisted it, fearing she would think the thoughts she often thought back in Storybrooke. Before she could turn away and go back to the bed, a bellowing voice made her jump out of her skin. "Get away from my wardrobe!" 

Emma turned to see Regina standing in black silk pyjamas. She looked gorgeous. But it shocked her so much, it almost made her laugh. But she was too scared to even dare. 

"Sorry. I...I just thought there might be some clothes I could borrow," she declared, gesturing to her crumpled red dress she had reluctantly slept in the night before. Regina smirked, "I suppose there might be something for you, but it's the only thing you'll be getting." 

It shouldn't have, but it did, it blew Emma away. All she could think about following this was when Regina said something similar to this back in Storybrooke, "enjoy my shirt, it's all you're getting," this memory rang in her ears, as Emma knew, or maybe just hoped, this was more of a flirtation than a warning. 

"Thanks, your Majesty," Emma said 'Majesty' perhaps too visibly irritated, and Regina arched her left eyebrow, scoffed and said, "maybe Regina is easier. For now, anyway. But it's about time you told me who you were, properly. If you're from the future, and you know me then, I want to know if I get my revenge. Secondly, if I do, how do you become my friend?" 

She barely spoke the last word, as if the idea was completely incomprehensible. Emma had no choice. She had to tell her everything, no matter what the consequence. 

Regina left the room. She took this as a sign that she was going to get ready, and become the Evil Queen once again.


	6. Denied Feelings

**Chapter Six**

The stale smell of alcohol had suffocated Hook all evening. 

He was accustomed to Rum, but was too stressed with the prospect of rescuing Emma to really enjoy himself like he did when he was living as a pirate. It was cold out, and he couldn't face another night curled up under a leaf-blanket. 

Overnight, he had managed to hide successfully in the back corner of the pub as they shut, pressing himself up behind a few heavy barrels of beer, waiting for the door to close and the owners to leave. He slept on a chair, essentially a wooden plank, and even in his bad mood Hook could appreciate the irony. The sunrise woke him up at 5:46 am, according to the small clock on the bleak wooden wall. 

"To Snow White's hiding place I go," he declared to himself, scowling at the fact there was no-one there to speak to him. He missed Emma with her sarcastic comments. He missed Emma full-stop. He wondered if she missed him too. 

 

For now, he told himself, "I'll just have to get on with it. I'll tell Snow White the Queen has captured my sweet Princess Leia and I need her assistance. I'll act like a true believer, and I won't slip up and call her Emma. I mustn't do that." After this brief reassurance, he proceeded to break the lock on the door with his hook so that he could leave. 

 

The sun was glowing warmly as he made his way down the muddy path. According to the map, he was about a 2 hour walk from where Snow White should be. That is, if she hadn't gone hunting or stealing, or whatever bandits do. Or did. Hook still found the whole going-back-in-the-past thing a little bit confusing. 

 

It had been 2 hours on the dot, and with sore feet and a rumbling stomach, Hook had reached what he could observe as the lair of Snow White. Before he could call out her name, he heard a deep growling behind him. Twigs were snapping loudly and he turned round to a wolf, crouching down and bearing its teeth, growling. 

 

"I'm here to speak to Snow White, I come as a friend, I mean no harm," Hook declared, putting both of his hands up so as to show he was weaponless. "Leave him Red, he looks safe," shouted a familiar voice from behind him. He turned to see Snow White standing in a khaki cloak which was wrapped around her, and large brown boots with huge buckles on them. She put one hand on her hip, and the other rested on a tree. 

 

She asked Hook why he was there, and he had scripted it many times in his head, so answered with, "my name is Prince Charles. My Princess Leia has been captured by The Evil Queen. I know you are on the run from her, but for the wrong reasons, and you in fact have done nothing wrong. I know it's a big ask, but I was hoping that you could help me enter the castle, as I know it used to be yours." 

 

Hook finished and in anticipation of her reply added, "I would have found my own way to the dungeons, only the last thing I heard the Queen say was that she wouldn't be taking Leia there, she would be taking her to her chambers." 

 

Red came from behind Hook, now an elegant woman with a brown corset, a ruffled khaki dress and a bright red cloak, and stood next to Snow and nudged her, as she was staring at Hook in awe. "She took her to the chambers? You do realise that probably means your poor Leia is dead?" 

 

Hook cringed at the idea of Emma being killed by her now friend, Regina, and replied, "I was sure of that also, until I made contact with the dark wizard Rumplestiltskin, and he told me that she was not dead. We aren't your enemies, Snow White, but for some reason he thinks we are useful, that is why he directed me to where you would be hiding." 

 

Red turned to Snow, obviously not trusting this mysterious stranger. "How do we know we can trust him? If the Queen catches the mere sight of you she will kill you, Snow." But pure of heart and eager to not let the Queen take anyone else's happiness away, Snow did want to help this man. "Say I did help you, what would I gain out of it? You would gain my knowledge of the castle and a quicker, safer route in. I would like a small payment for my assistance." Snow hated the fact she had to do this, but she knew that one day away from her normally successful ambushes meant no money. 

 

Hook was filled with hope, and figured he would find money from somewhere, "yes, of course. Thank you Snow White." She smiled and said, "we better get planning our route in then. It may take a while, I need to explain to you a few things. The first is that Red will help sniff your Leia out, so if you have any belonging of hers, that would speed up the process." 

 

And with that, the three started to plan their way into the Evil Queen's Castle, whilst Emma was telling Regina... Everything.

*

Regina was wearing a striking black and silver dress and on her face had dark, gothic makeup, including blood-red lipstick. She had curled her hair into thick locks and clipped up the sides with large, silver clips. 

Emma figured it was to make herself look intimidating, once again. In a poof of purple smoke she gave Emma new clothes, similar to the Queen's red lipstick, and alike to her dress at the ball. Emma for a minute felt beautiful. She was confused as to why the Queen would care what she was wearing, but had more pressing matters to be concerned with: telling the Queen who she was, and therefore risking her safety. Emma thought she wasn't that safe anyway. 

She decided to go for it. Her first introductory sentence to the story was "my name is Emma Swan." Which she followed with, "please don't flip out and kill me, but I am the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming." 

Before she could continue, Regina stamped her feet as she strode up to her, gritting her teeth and fighting with herself, trying not to rip Emma's heart out. After a brief moment of calming herself, she scowled and said, "maybe I will let you continue..." she licked her lips, and commanded, "go on then." 

Emma continued, "I don't know what is going to happen now I've told you this. Rumplestiltskin said that when you change the past the future becomes unpredictable. He helped cloak me and Hook, my accomplice, as we are important to his plans in the future. One day, in the near future, you will use a deadly curse to enact your revenge on Snow White. This curse will send you and the people in your land to a place called Storybrooke in Maine. But Snow White and Prince Charming get word of this. Snow had just had a child. A daughter. That's me by the way." 

Regina pulled a face of false surprise at this, and Emma continued, rolling her eyes. 

"She sends her, me, away in a magical tree. I ended up in the adoption system, and later on I had a child of my own. My boyfriend, the father, had betrayed me and I never learnt how a mother should look after their child, so how would I? I decided to give him up. One day, a little boy called Henry turned up at my door and told me he was my son. Turns out he was adopted by a woman, a woman named Regina who was mayor of Storybrooke." 

With this revelation, Regina sat down on her bed, in visible shock, "I...I don't understand. How could I adopt a son? That must mean..." Emma filled this in, "you got lonely." 

"I know it's hard to believe, but your revenge, it wasn't all that you hoped for. That's where I come in. We didn't mix at the start, because we found out I was the saviour to break your curse. You didn't want me anywhere near Henry, and there was a lot of friction between us. Cut a long story short, Henry ended up in hospital, due to you taking your vengeance too far. I kiss him, and it inadvertently causes true love kiss to break your curse. Purple smoke engulfs the town, and everyone gets their memories back. They remember the curse, and the Enchanted Forest. It takes a while, but eventually, they start to like you. And you them. I know it's hard to believe. But it is, Regina. You aren't consumed by your revenge, you have your son - our son - and... You find your soul mate." 

Regina was already tapping her knees, anxiously, not believing a word of this. Mayor? Just about right, she thought. But a son? A soul mate? This final thing shocked her to her very core. 

Maybe that was why she felt that strange... Feeling... When she first saw this intriguing woman. I mean, first, it was the glamour spell. But then, it was more. It was the face behind the glamour spell. She scoffed, out loud, "I'm supposed to find my soul mate? You?" and then she laughed, manically, and partially nervously. 

"M...me..." Emma stammered, "when did I ever imply that your soul mate... Was me?" 

Emma's voice broke. Silence was deafening. Regina sat there, saying nothing. 

She felt like she should fill the silence, "well, that's awkward." Regina declared plainly. 

Emma looked down at Regina, directly into her big brown eyes. She wasn't sure of how she felt towards this version of Regina at all. But she knew, that while she resisted in Storybrooke, that for some reason in this moment, she couldn't deny one of her feelings. She loved Regina's eyes. 

Just as she accepted this, the darkness seemed to fade from them. Emma was in deep thought when she noticed Regina smiling up at her. 

"What is the point of all this if my curse is broken? I might as well not even do it. Or I could just kill Snow White right now." Emma knew her eyes had begun to water at this, "you could, but then I'll never exist, and then this will never happen. God knows what will happen." 

She slumped down onto the bed next down to Regina. "Aren't you supposed to be evil, ripping me apart by now?" she unintentionally smirked. Emma pulled one leg up onto the bed, shuffled her dress and wrapped her arms around her leg. She then leaned in closer to Regina, put her hand out for balance and tilted her head slightly to turn to her. 

"Why haven't you killed me?" Regina threw up her hands and turned to Emma, laughing. "I already tried." Accidentally, she hit Emma's hand, and Emma, in the same dry voice as before, said "oops, sorry." 

For some reason, as much as she was unwilling to admit it, Regina really liked this woman. She didn't know just how she could ever like the product of Snow White, but she did. She then proceeded to lean closely into Emma, smiling, "And you still haven't told me just how we, the saviour and the evil queen, became friends." 

It was then, in the Evil Queen's Chambers, that Emma knew, somehow, maybe she wasn't the only one who was trying so hard to deny their true feelings.


	7. Memories and Kisses

**Chapter Six**

Emma had just finished eating. 

After asking Emma to tell her all about how they became friends, Regina demanded that food was brought to them before she began. The banquet they were served was fit for a Queen. They sat around a long, oak wood table, with toppling bowls of food. 

Emma didn't know if she was just being paranoid, but while they were eating, she couldn't help but notice the tremendous amount of eye contact between her and Regina. Emma would look down at her food, and she could feel Regina looking at her, but when she looked up, she would quickly look away. 

Emma thought to herself "after what I've told her so far, I can't really expect a different reaction. I mean, how do you react to someone appearing from the future and telling you that all your vengeful hopes and desires won't be fulfilled, but you'll actually turn to good and start to like it?" 

 

Regina looked up at her once again. "Enough food, I think. I want to hear the story of, well, us." For some reason Emma had to take a deep breath at this, at the 'us', as if there was a 'them' to tell her about. 

 

In a puff of purple smoke, they appeared back in the Evil Queen's Chambers. Emma had become accustomed to Regina's magic tricks, so was unsurprised. The intense, sweet smell still remained in the room, and the bed covers had been changed to a blood-red linen with black gothic swirls sewn into the edges. 

 

Regina sat next to her on the bed and nudged her, "how about you start then, I want to know about it all." "Okay," agreed Emma, knowing she didn't really have a choice, "but I don't know how much I can actually fit in. Here we go." Regina's eyes were wild with anticipation, staring intensely at Emma. 

 

"So, at the start, it's safe to say you did not like me. What I remember the most from the start, is when you told me that you would 'destroy' me if it was the 'last thing' you did." Emma was half-laughing, and turned to Regina, who was smiling and nodding, "sounds about right. I am the Evil Queen after all." 

 

Emma continued, "we had been warring for a while, mostly over Henry, so I decided to cut down your apple tree. As you can imagine, you were not happy. As you came from your house, shouting at me, I told you that you had no idea what I was capable of." Emma laughed, looking at Regina, who laughed back, a familiar glint in her eyes and said, "damn, you told me. Fiery." Unintentionally, as she was saying this, she winked at Emma. Emma's throat felt dry, and she tried to pretend she hadn't just taken a deep breath at this. 

 

"...I'll continue. There was so much tension between us. It never really disappeared, but at one point, we were forced into dropping it. So we were coming out of your office, and you warned me that I need to be 'careful' about who I 'got into bed with', referencing Rumplestiltskin." Just as Emma said this, Regina smirked and inhaled deeply, her eyes almost laughing at the fact she actually said that. "And then I opened the door to exit, and it blew up in our faces, just like that. There was a huge fire, and I looked into your eyes and you thought I was gonna leave you behind. I mean, you saw me as your enemy. But I saved you, and I carried you out of the building." Regina seemed to smile faintly at this, "no doubt I showed my...thanks," laughing, as she knew herself far too well. 

 

Emma rolled her eyes whilst smiling, then went to continue. "Not too long after that, I agreed to leave town. Instead of letting me go lightly, you spiked an apple turnover and hoped that I would eat it. But Henry ate it instead, and we had a huge fight while he was dying. But true love's kiss saved him, and from then onwards, I think you vowed to become a better person, if not for yourself, for Henry." 

 

Regina smiled, "I truly love this boy, this Henry. I named him after my father...But none of this tells me exactly how we become friends? I mean, so far I am doing my best to hurt everyone around me, this doesn't surprise me. Emma, I nearly killed him, your son, how did you forgive me?" 

 

Emma knew she had risked Henry's life many times, but added, "you did, but we put that bed to rest a while ago, he was your son too. I entered his life out of nowhere, when you had looked after him for all that time. Events from then onwards are what built our friendship, instead of tension, we, well at least I, felt our relationship develop on an emotional level." 

 

Regina had started to feel warmth grow inside her since meeting Emma. She wanted to know more, and believed Emma's every word. "Tell me more," encouraged Regina, putting one hand on Emma's arm, smiling at her. 

"Well, as I have told you, I am the saviour. If you hadn't guessed, this means I have magic. And there was a time when this Wraith was reeking terror in the town. You claimed that a Magic Hat would send it away, but you couldn't get it to work. And the strangest thing happened, I touched your arm and it started spinning. I still don't know if that was my magic, or," Emma couldn't believe she was saying this out-loud (in case Regina suspected what she had), "something else... But anyway, then I fell into the portal. I had pushed you out of the way, and in saving you, I paid the price. In the end it's you who rescues me from the portal, and welcomes me home, with Henry by your side." 

Regina smiled at the idea of the unusual woman she becomes, she saves Emma, for Henry and for herself. She suspected maybe she saved Emma for another reason, too. 

But maybe not one that had been acknowledged by either of them back in Storybrooke. 

They sat in silence for a few seconds. "But that isn't the only time you sacrifice yourself for me, and for Henry." Emma went to continue, when Regina raised her hand and shook her head. "No, don't continue. I have an idea," Regina said this with excitement, her eyes shimmering in the candle light. 

 

The familiar purple glow appeared, this time, bringing a dream catcher. "I heard that there were these ancient dream catchers you could use to see memories, Emma. I won't fully believe this until I see it. I can put this to your head and view them all. We can view them...together?" 

 

Regina couldn't believe she was enjoying this. Just the other day, she could have sworn that nothing could ever fill her soul with warmth. But ever since she met this woman, she knew she felt different. "Sure," Emma replied, smiling up at her. 

 

Regina used the dream catcher, and a liquid-like orange, sparkling liquid, seemed to evaporate out of Emma's head. Suddenly flashes of Emma's memories appeared in the dream catcher. First, all the tension and the girl-fights. Regina was laughing at these, Emma's description hadn't done them justice. "You didn't tell me I cut my hair...and them clothes!" exclaimed Regina in shock. 

Then the Magic Hat memory flashed up. Regina noticed the deep emotion in her eyes when Emma touched her arm and helped the Hat work.

Then there was a new memory. Regina could see she was absorbing the magical energy from an object. But her eyes were pooling with tears, she was looking up at Emma, saying "Let me die as Regina." But Emma came back, and her eyes were teary too. Emma looked into Regina's eyes, and said, "you may not be strong enough, but maybe we are." Then Emma risked her life, her and Regina were shaking as they consumed the magical energy. After seeing this memory, Regina looked up at Emma, who was staring down at the dream catcher, smiling widely and squeezing at Regina's arm. 

Then there were more memories. Storybrooke was being consumed by another curse, and Emma and Henry were the only ones who could escape it, so Regina had to sacrifice her happiness, Henry. Emma looked up from the dream catcher and tilted her head at Regina, who was staring intently at the dream catcher. "You took my hand and you said, 'my gift to you is good memories'," echoing Regina's voice in the dream catcher. 

Another memory. Emma and Regina seemed to be aboard a boat, and they were putting Henry's heart back into his chest. He came back to life and they both hugged him. They both observed the way they had looked at each other when hugging him, as if they knew there was an unbreakable, but almost unspeakable bond between them both, as two mother's, as who knows what else. 

So many more memories flashed through the dream catcher, from Regina encouraging Emma to use her magic, as it works when brought on by her "instincts". Regina turned to Emma after seeing this, "does that mean you saved me out of instinct all those times?" laughing as she teased Emma. Emma smiled and shook her head, her eyes alight with happiness. 

One final memory flashed up, Emma and Regina were working together, undercover. Emma had looked into Regina's eyes, and Regina, viewing the memory, laughed at what Emma said to her, "my superpower may not be perfect but with you Regina, I always know when you're lying." 

The dream catcher stopped whirring, and the glowing orange faded away. "You can always tell when I'm lying..." declared Regina, who was looking down, thinking about this. Regina turned to Emma, and felt herself moving towards her. She couldn't stop it, she had felt this overwhelming feeling ever since she saw this woman, and for once she didn't feel darkness in her soul. 

She leapt onto her, putting one arm around her waist and the other in her hair, pulling her into a kiss. 

Emma felt the warmth of Regina's lips on hers, and was so shocked she pulled away. "What...are you doing?" asked Emma, who had started shaking everywhere. Her skin felt alight. 

"I don't...know," replied Regina, feeling guilty for kissing her so fast. Emma looked up into Regina's eyes and felt an overwhelming urge to kiss her back. She had kept her feelings in for far too long, so what if this is the Evil Queen? This woman is the Regina she loves too. She admitted it. She loved her. 

 

She moved into Regina's arms and kissed her hard on the lips, moving her hand round to the front of her dress. She was just about to start untying Regina's corset when a puff of purple smoke surrounded them and Emma found herself in red-silk pyjamas and looked over at Regina who was in gorgeous, deep purple ones. "Red looks great on you," rushed Regina, pushing Emma down onto the bed. They were intertwined, with Regina on top of Emma, pressing her breasts on Emma's. 

 

As they were kissing, the wind outside the room started blowing loudly, and rain started to hammer down. As Regina and Emma made love, all the mirrors smashed around them, filling the room with their magic. The room was alive with breathless moans and the rustling sounds of the bed sheets. 

 

They had denied their innermost feelings for far too long.

* 

Heavy droplets of rain pounded down from the angry vessels in the dark lavender sky. Bright yellow lightening streaks cracked through, proceeded by a reverberating thunder a few seconds afterwards. 

Hook had been sat with Red and Snow White planning their route into the castle, when all of a sudden a storm had forced them to seek shelter overnight. They found themselves in a small cave almost covered in ivy. "We'll wait here while the storm calms down, we should get some sleep," declared Snow confidently. 

Truthfully, Hook was trying to avoid conversation with Red and Snow, as it meant he may slip up and call Leia Emma or refer to himself as Hook. Thankfully, it was night-time, and they all fell asleep. However, in the morning, he knew that being in this enclosed cave with them meant unnecessary small talk, so stood up after they had all woke up and declared, "I quite like storms. It reminds me of Leia..." he stopped for a second, trying to come up with a reason why. "...We first kissed during a storm, alike to this one. I think I might go for a short walk to remember her, I miss her." 

Snow and Red both smiled at this, "go for it," Snow said, building a fire. "Just return when it ends because then we can set off, it should only be a 2 hour walk from here. Hook nodded and then left, trudging through the muddy leaves and being soaked by the incessant rain, the aftermath of the storm. 

He had decided only 10 minutes into his walk that he needed to contact Rumplestiltskin, as he was anxious that the Queen had harmed Emma, and that Snow and Red were not prioritising the rescue of her. Even though they were happy to help, they probably could have entered much sooner than they were planning to. 

Just as he could no longer see the ivy covered cave, Hook found a clearing surrounded by dark, overbearing trees. "A perfect place to contact the Dark One," declared Hook, proud with himself. He had desperately wished that he wouldn't have to do this, but not only did he worry for Emma, he wanted to know that Rumplestiltskin could definitely secure their way home. He crouched down onto a fallen tree stump, sighed, and shouted, "Rumplestiltskin!" 

Just as he was about to shout his name for a second time, the Dark One appeared adjacent to Hook, still visibly shaken by their last conversation, but equally as sarcastic as his normal self. "Yes, dearie, you just can't get enough of me, can you?" Rumple sneered, obviously happy with himself for once again insulting his old enemy. Hook rolled his eyes, but wasn't angry, just tired. "Tell me, is Emma safe? How do I know that she hasn't been killed by the Queen? Or hit by the storm, alone somewhere in a cellar? I can't stand not knowing, Crocodile." 

"She has been injured? Hasn't she? Tell me?" Hook ordered. Rumplestiltskin laughed in his normal high-pitched range, and said, "I believe Emma may have started the storm, somewhat... Hook. But maybe the Queen had more of a contribution to it...too" he teased. "What does that mean?" scoffed Hook, visibly confused. "I suppose you may find out, later. All you need to know is that Emma is fine..." he stopped, smiling teasingly, "very fine... To say the least. She has not escaped, no, but is okay nevertheless." 

Hook was confused, but took from this that Emma was safe, and that was all that mattered. "Okay, Crocodile. But tell me, have you figured out a way to send us home yet?" Hook queried, anxious that everything was going too smoothly. "Perhaps," teased Rumplestiltskin, "say I had not, though. Do you think summoning me every waking hour of the day is a good tactic for speeding up the process, dearie?" Hook didn't have the energy to argue with him, so simply replied, "probably not." 

He noticed that the storm had subsided completely now. The thick conglomeration of clouds had separated, and the sky had turned into a rich blue colour. Just as Rumple was leaving, Red and Snow had ran up, just in time to see a lasting remainder of his black smoke, dissipating into nothing. Hook bowed his head, shaking it, as he knew they would suspect this and become reproachful towards helping him. 

"I know what it looks like," declared Hook, walking up to them. "But you can still trust me. I didn't tell you I was contacting him because, well, I was asking about Leia, asking if she was still safe. You wouldn't have wanted me to contact him as he is the Dark One, and all magic comes with a price." Red tutted at him, "it's almost like you've rehearsed it. What do you think Snow?" 

Snow folded her arms, and spoke honestly, "I wanted to help you, Charles. But the truth is, I know Regina, the Queen, has contacted him so many times too. How do I know this isn't a plot to trap me in the castle? You could be leading me to my death...I'm sorry. I cannot enter with you. As soon as I saw him disappear, I lost my trust in you." 

Just like that, Hook felt as if he had lost all hope at ever saving Emma. He was speechless, exhausted with lack of sleep and warm food. And most of all, lack of Rum. 

"However," Snow began, "I will leave you the map I spent time creating, with the quickest route highlighted." Red cut in, "you may be selling Snow out, but when I am the Wolf, not much can hurt me. I shall come with you, only close enough to sniff out the location of your Leia, and then I will leave." 

Hook felt relieved, and decided that this was probably for the best anyway. "I never intended to sell you out, Snow. But I understand why you wouldn't want to take the risk. What do I owe you?" he asked, hoping she wouldn't charge him. Fortunately, Snow replied, "I felt bad taking it anyway, so nothing. Looks like I will have to find payment elsewhere. Good luck on your journey. And Red, stay safe okay?" Red nodded, and put her hood up over her hair. 

With that, Red and Hook started on their 2 hour journey to the Queen's castle, unknowing of the events that had just happened, in the Evil Queen's Chambers.


	8. Stormy Weather

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> :(
> 
> -Rozz Cottrell, @swanqueer_x on Twitter, enjoy! :)

**Chapter Eight**

The storm had passed throughout the night. The sky was a rich blue colour, and the clouds like candyfloss. 

Back in the castle, there were shattered shards of glass almost completely covering the Queen's bedroom floor. Emma could feel Regina's hot breath on her neck. Every exhale seemed to set her skin alight, sending a wave of euphoria through her body. She felt so warm in Regina's arms. They had slept like this together, all night. She sat enjoying the moment for a while, the sweet smell radiating from Regina, the calming arms holding her tight. 

But she had to come back to reality. "What the hell is going to happen now?" she asked herself. "For starters, where is Hook? I mean it's not as if I can keep this from him...But then how do I tell him that I had all these feelings about Regina back in Storybrooke, I just never acted on them? How do I tell him that I cannot be with him as more than a friend? And... Regina. I mean, this Regina is my Regina, only she's not, as the Regina back in Storybrooke is with Robinhood, and if she does have feelings for me, how am I ever supposed to know? This was a bad idea..." 

 

Emma turned slightly, just so she could see Regina. "God, she looks so beautiful," she thought, smiling. "Maybe it wasn't. But it has made me all confused, now I have a problem." She continued to look at Regina. Her lips were slightly puckered as she rested. 

 

Unknown to Emma, Regina had been awake. She had been thinking about how Emma had looked beneath her all breathless, and how warm the feeling was of finally giving into love, and passion. She was surely mad, she had thought to herself. "I still feel anger towards Snow. But in this future, I don't hate her anymore. And this woman makes me want to believe I can be good again. However, this future won't happen if Emma doesn't go back, and if I don't forget." She had been looking at Emma's light blonde hair while thinking this, and she could just about see the outline of her nose and lips. "Gorgeous," thought Regina. 

 

Suddenly, Emma had started to shuffle, so Regina made sure she closed her eyes. A minute later, Emma whispered in Regina's ear, "Regina, what happens now?" Regina detected a waft of cinnamon as Emma did this, the first time she had properly smelt her. After Emma had done this, she couldn't help it, she moved to Regina's lips and kissed them softly. 

 

Regina's eye lashes fluttered and her eyes flew open, immediately sparkling. "I don't know, Emma," then she proceeded to kiss Emma back. They both sat up. Regina began, deflated, "well, you need to return to whom you were with. What was his name again?" Emma replied, "Hook. Captain Hook." "I see," replied Regina, "well you need to find him. However, I'm positive by now he would have come, surely?" Regina pondered. Emma shrugged, "the last I saw he was running out of the ball. My guess is he overheard what you said and realised the task of saving me wouldn't be so easy. He probably searched for the help of Snow White, she would of been his best bet. And knowing Hook, well, I have no doubt he will come for me at some point. He's pretty into me..." Regina nodded, and tried not to flinch at the mention of Snow White. 

Regina continued plainly, "well, when you leave, no matter how, I need to ensure I drink a forgetting potion. It's the only way events can return to what they once were." Emma's eyes started pooling with tears, and even though she knew it was the only way, and she wanted to return to her family and Henry, she couldn't help but hug Regina, repeating, "but what if I don't want you to forget?" 

 

Emma stopped hugging Regina, and instead placed both her hands on Regina's shoulders, looking directly into her eyes. "You don't understand. In Storybrooke, we've always been there for each other, but we've never said a word of what we feel, or at least, I haven't. I don't even know if you in the future feels the same way. Future Regina seems pretty happy with Robinhood, he was destined to be her - your - soul mate." Regina placed her hands on Emma's, fitting her fingers into Emma's. 

 

"So what if he is? It sounds like we have built an amazing connection. If she is anything like I am, you'll fill her with a warmth that simply no-one else can, and maybe one day, you'll get what we both want. But I can't lie to you Emma, I still want revenge for what Snow White did. Even now. Even if I didn't forget, and for some magical reason, you still exist and this still happens, I will still have that inner thirst for revenge. The Regina you deserve is the one who has turned to good. I'm sorry." 

 

Emma was surprised at her apology, and replied, "I forgave you long ago back in Storybrooke, Regina. And I may never tell future you how I feel, but at least, this gives me a glimmer of hope, and a memory to cherish." Emma smiled and Regina cupped her face into her hand, and kissed her softly. 

 

For a few minutes, they sat there, inhaling each others smell and feeling the warmth of each other, hugging each other tight. Regina wiped away the tears that had made their way down her face, and began. "I think we should get ready; I can return you to your ordinary clothes. If that is what you want?" Emma nodded, "yeah, the clothes take a while to get used to..." She was suddenly surrounded by purple, magical smoke, and saw she was in denim jeans and her trusty red leather jacket. "Thanks," smiled Emma. Regina smiled back and said, "you look cute." 

 

Regina strode over to her wardrobe, and picked out the dress that Emma had found so captivating earlier. She put it on, and looked striking. 

 

After perfectly crafting her makeup with a swish of the hand, she turned to Emma. "Do I really never wear anything like this in Storybrooke?" Emma laughed at her, "no, Regina, you don't. You really like the pantsuits." Regina cackled at this, but fell silent, as she knew her time with Emma Swan, the Saviour, had reached its end. She started to make the forgetting potion. When she finished, Emma walked over to Regina, and found herself sitting on her lap, kissing her. Their kiss extended into tongues, and Emma found herself breathless again. As Regina was kissing Emma's neck, she and Emma heard the shouts of the guards and the boom of their weapons falling on the floor. 

 

The Queen's doors flung open, and a distressed Hook saw Emma and Regina immediately. "Hook!" shouted Emma, looking at Hook whose triumphant expression had turned into confusion mixed with anger. "What?" Hook bellowed, walking in with reproach. 

 

"I can explain," uttered Emma, removing herself from the Queen's lap and walking up to Hook. "Thank you for coming for me..." she declared, looking into his eyes, smiling. "It seems, Swan, that my rescue was in vain. I even ditched the safe route, deciding if you were to die, so were I. I thought you were unsafe...But all this time... I don't understand...How? Why?" 

 

Emma shrugged, lost for words, "I lied, I don't think I can explain, Hook. But I've always felt something for Regina, I've just never said it out-loud, and I know she's the Queen here, but she is also Regina, and I am sorry but I will always believe in her, every version of her." Emma was slightly shocked by her outburst, her candour. But she knew Hook deserved to know what she had been hiding from both herself, and those who cared about her. 

 

Hook shook his head, "what about our kiss?" Emma said sorry, then, "but it was just that, a kiss." 

 

Regina coughed awkwardly, even though deep down she was enjoying this, and walked up to Emma, standing by her side. "When you and Emma have left," directing this to Hook, "I am going to take a forgetting potion to make sure the events still happen, the way they were supposed to." Emma turned to her, and hugged her tight. 

 

As they were about to kiss, Hook turned around in upset and disgust. For the final time, she felt Regina's warm, luscious lips on hers. They both had tears streaming down their face again. Regina started laughing, though, and said there was a mark on Emma where her lipstick had stained. "Goodbye," smiled Emma, hugging her again. "Goodbye, Emma Swan." As Emma started to turn away, Regina pulled her by her arm. "Promise me that you'll find your happiness in Storybrooke. That you won't deny this to yourself any longer? Tell her...me...how you feel." Regina said, her eyes urging Emma to follow though with this request. Emma nodded, stroking Regina's face, "I promise." 

 

Emma walked out with Hook, looking back at Regina through the slit of the door, who suddenly had the forgetting potion in her hand, and then she took it, looking through the crack and smiling at Emma, for one last time. 

 

"We'll talk about this later," declared Hook factually. "For now," he continued, "We need to get out of here. Did she just take the potion?" Emma nodded, and together, they ran.


	9. Back to Storybrooke

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If you have reached thus far, firstly THANK YOU! for reading my fic. I write a lot but have never wrote a fan fiction before. I think it's probably because a ship has never captured my heart (cheesy) as much as Swan Queen has. Now the ending is the ending of this story, but one day, I want to come back to this. For now, I hope you enjoy the story I have created (well, the story I have adapted)
> 
> Viva La Swan Queen! 
> 
> -Rozz Cottrell, @swanqueer_x on Twitter. x

**Chapter Nine**

The whole journey out of the castle was all a blur to Emma. She found herself in an emotional haze, similar to when she found out that Neal had sold her out to the police. There was a buzzing in her ears and nothing of the Enchanted Forest seemed to focus. Hook's voice didn't even cut through her shell, it was simply an endless noise. When she fell through the portal a few days prior, she had never expected anything of the sort to happen. She and Regina had sex, but not her Regina, the Evil Queen. Emma had admitted her love for her... Over and over...Where could she go from here? Everything was moving, the room was spinning and she suddenly felt the moist floor hit her cheek and then...darkness. 

 

She woke to Hook shaking her, in visible distress, yelling "Swan!". There was a sharp buzzing in her ears. When she opened her eyes, everything seemed fuzzy. She looked up, and Hook was leaning over her with worry in his eyes. He started to come into focus and everything started to feel more human to Emma. She sat up. 

 

"Back to normal now are we?" queried Hook sarcastically. His tone then changed, "I was worried Swan. We had been an hour into our escape and for ages you fell completely silent. I turned to you and you were about to faint. Emma, you blacked out." 

 

Emma's stumble back into reality brought her so much pain, she felt like there was a tight fist around her heart, squeezing tightly. Her bottom lip quivered, and she looked up to Hook who was kneeling down at her, staring gormlessly. "I'm sorry, I need a moment," Emma uttered quietly. 

 

It wasn't even five minutes before Hook pulled Emma up off the ground, "Look Swan, we have to go." Emma nodded, trying to pull herself together. "Can't we just summon Rumplestiltskin, won't he just transport us to wherever we need to be to go home?" Hook was about to dismiss this, but on reflection, decided Emma wasn't in a fit state to run any longer. "Alright, Swan. As you wish." Emma smiled. She might not love him like he wants her to, but she valued his friendship. 

 

"RUMPLESTILTITSKIN" yelled Hook, staring into the distance. 

 

Immediately Rumplestiltskin appeared, almost looking identical to when he was last summoned. He was sneering, with his green skin glistening. "I suppose you and Ms Swan wish to go home now?" Rumplestiltskin looked at Hook, then at Emma. On making eye contact with her, a high pitched, half awkward laugh seemed to trickle out. "You...feeling...okay, dearie?" Emma suddenly felt her strength return. Rolling her eyes, she said boldly, "I'm fine. I'd like to get home to my family, please." Rumplestiltskin put both his hands up at this mockingly, raising his eyebrows in surprise. "Okay, as you wish, Ms Swan, but first," he added, "I will de glamourise you both. Even though, that glamouring spell seems rather pointless, as a certain someone saw through it anyway." With a wave of the hand he undid his spell, but Emma remained the same, as Regina had already changed her clothing. "I look devilishly handsome again," declared Hook, proudly. 

 

With that, Rumplestiltskin transported Hook and Emma to a dark vault in which he keeps dark and unpredictable magic. The floor they landed on was grey and stony. Hook looked up and the vault was at least three-stories high, it looked monstrous. It was well lit, with candles in every corner. The walls were bricked, and there were no windows, entrapping all the objects within it. 

 

Emma was stepping in and out of consciousness. She was fully awake and alert, but her thoughts kept drawing her back to Regina. The feeling of her warm body rubbing against hers. The shivers she felt as Regina crept down on her. The viewing of their memories together. The darkness leaving the Queen's eyes; the look Regina gives her back in Storybrooke. 

 

Emma was forced to concentrate. Rumple's voice cut through the buzzing sound in Emma's ears. "I found out that only you two can re-open the portal, as it has to be the ones who entered through it." However, Rumple continued, "one of you needs to wield magic, as it is this wand that opens it." In his hand was an abnormally long wand. His right eyebrow raised, and he swirled the wand at Emma. "That would be you, dearie." He smirked. Emma was startled, "how did you know I had magic?" Rumple sniggered, then replied, "I didn't...not until...well... something made me realise." 

 

Hook smiled at Emma. His smile then turned to hopelessness, as he declared, "but you've lost your magic love." Rumplestiltskin hopped towards them both, "well...not exactly." He laughed. "I believe your..." he paused, rolling the next word off his tongue, "encounter...with the Queen, brought out the small amount of magic left within you." Hook folded his arms and tried to appear nonchalant. 

 

Emma nodded. She had thought the amount of mirrors that smashed so violently, couldn't have just been Regina. "I'll try." She nodded. Rumplestiltskin laughed exclaiming, "great!" In his pocket, Rumplestiltskin had created a forgetting potion of his own. Emma noticed it, and while pointing at it, declared "you need to drink that, first." Rumple's hand found the bottle, and sneering, he replied, "yes dearie, I know. Open the portal and I'll drink it." 

 

Rumple handed the wand to Emma, and as she touched it, she thought of Henry, her family, and Regina. Emma thought back to her last thoughts in Storybrooke, that were to go back to New York and live her new life with Henry. No. She thought, "Storybrooke is my home." The wand started to glow white, and Rumplestiltskin giggled with delight at this. Suddenly, an orange, swirling portal, alike to a tornado, appeared in front of them. Hook nodded at Emma, and jumped straight into it. Rumplestiltskin drank his potion just as Emma dived into the portal. She was thinking about what her and Hook will tell her family about what happened. 

 

* 

 

A hard floor greeted Hook and Emma. They were thrown onto it violently, thanks to the portal. Emma groaned, and stood up. Hook had already got up himself, and was standing at the exit, staring out into the night. "Now we can talk," Hook half-smiled, looking at Emma. "Look," Emma began, sighing, "I really like you. But I'd be lying if I said I didn't have feelings for Regina, and that I haven't for a while. I guess... It's hard to understand. She was the Evil Queen there, so yeah. I don't fully understand it either." Hook tilted his head, "but she was Regina too, Swan?" Emma nodded. "Yeah. She was. Is." Hook was visibly hurt. But patted her arm nicely, asking, "so where does this leave us?" Emma shrugged her shoulders, "well, thanks for coming for me, for risking your life. I don't see any reason why we can't be friends, Hook." She patted his arm back, and he tried to muster a smile. "Well then, lets try, Swan." 

 

Emma would have continued to share this moment with him, only it hit her that if Henry or anyone had the book, their venture in the past may have been added to the story. She panicked. In a matter of seconds Emma had started to sprint towards Granny's Cafe, hoping to find her family and prevent them from reading it. 

 

She stormed through Granny's Cafe, the entrance bell ringing as she rushed in. "Mom, Dad" she exclaimed, hugging them both, then Henry. "Look, I need that book." She declared, pointing at the book open on the table. Prince Charming raised his eyebrows, "Why? You didn't answer my calls, we were all worried." Emma nodded, replying, "me and Hook fell in the portal. But everything is ok now, I just need that book, I'll tell you later." With that, she sprinted out again, and in not looking where she was going, she ran directly into a woman, who smelled as sweet as fresh roses. 

 

Regina. 

 

Hand-in-hand with Robinhood, she stepped back, and gasped in an accusatory tone, "Emma!" Emma wanted to find Regina and talk to her. But this wasn't exactly how she wanted it to go. "Sorry, but I really need to speak to you, may I?" Emma asked, gesturing to Regina's hand in Robin's. Regina developed the face of someone who was deeply concerned. Robinhood let go of Regina's hand, and kissed her on the cheek. "See you later," he smiled, walking up to Granny's Cafe. 

 

Emma walked up to the outside table and chairs, pulling one out for Regina, and gesturing her to sit down. "What is it dear?" asked Regina, sitting herself down in the chair opposite Emma. Her eyes were once again glistening in the light, looking down intently at Emma. Emma took a deep breath, and began. "Well, we fell down the time portal. And that's when it began. I guess I could start with what happened in the Evil Queen's Chambers," she smiled while saying this. 

 

Regina laughed, and as she lent forward to listen, her leg touched Emma's. "Oops, sorry!" she exclaimed. 

 

...


	10. She's Different Here

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey!
> 
> Guess who's back, back again... IT ME. a bean. Ok I need to stop. Basically, I've had a few busy months but I always planned to return to this. I've read through my fic and will be updating this as I go along (different from last time, where I wrote it all then published it as an after thought) mostly because there has been more interest in this than I ever could have expected. 
> 
> I've found a way to insert Marian (or who she really is, if you catch my drift) into this story as I realise this character wasn't mentioned, and I want to make sure I have the original storyline occurring alongside my fic. I probably won't include Elsa in it, like I'm gonna use Season Four's themes but not Elsa...I've never liked Frozen tbh, sorry.
> 
> I can't wait to develop Regina & Emma's relationship, they're such cuties and I hope I can do them justice. If you're one of those who was waiting for the upcoming chapters, thank you for your patience! If you're new, hey! I hope that you like my story! I'm thinking of possibly cutting down on the amount of description I do, and increasing the dialogue... oh well, let's see what happens! 
> 
> @swanqueer_x on Twitter and Instagram.

**Chapter Ten**

Unbeknownst to Emma, sitting across from Regina at Granny's Cafe finding a way to explain her outburst, Hook was still at the barn where the portal had opened. He was sitting on the floor, leaning against the door of the barn with his right leg leaning on his left knee. He was getting pretty cold, but was too busy reflecting on the events that had unfolded back in the Enchanted Forest. 

 

A loud and sudden bang emerged from behind him. Hook leapt up and opened the door to the barn, adrenaline coursing through his body. 

 

"What... The hell?" Hook hissed. A woman with messy, brown hair and a red robe was walking towards him. "Who are you?" Hook stammered, completely startled.

 

"My name is Marian," declared the woman, stepping further towards him, "I was told by Snow White to see if Prince Charles had escaped with a Princess Leia. She released me from the Evil Queen's dungeons, you see. She said she had been following a Prince Charles to see if he was a spy of the Queen's." 

 

Hook took a step back. He realised this was a perfectly reasonable story, but was sure Snow would never have followed him after his repeated contact with Rumplestiltskin back in the Enchanted Forest. 

 

"I'm Prince Charles," declared Hook, "but I'm actually Killian Jones. Captain Hook, the captain of the Jolly Roger. I'm not a spy - but I'm confused as to how you managed to come through the portal, I was sure it had closed..." 

Marian shook her head, "I was looking for you for Snow White... She did save me after all. And then the Dark One, the one with the green skin, he disappeared from the room you were in and the portal sucked me in as it closed. Where am I?" she was staring around the barn with a lost expression plastered across her face. 

Hook wasn't sure how true this story was, but was far too exhausted to try and battle with an seemingly innocent woman. 

"Well, love," Hook began, exiting the barn with Marian at his side, "I'm afraid you're not in the Enchanted Forest anymore. You're in Storybrooke, Maine." 

 

*

Emma had been sat for a fair few minutes, tapping the table and the book and looking anywhere but at Regina. After she had mentioned the Evil Queen's Chambers, she realised she hadn't thought this through.

 

"Emma, I haven't got all evening, are you going to tell me why you needed to talk to me so badly?" Regina enquired, her brown eyes shimmering in the yellow outdoor lights of the Cafe. 

 

Emma finally turned to look at her. She was wearing a tight black dress with a red scarf wrapped around her neck and a leather jacket. Emma couldn't help notice how gorgeous she looked. It didn't help that Regina was looking deep into Emma, like she does when she is genuinely worried about her. Her lips were a deep, alluring red, and her lipstick had slightly smudged into the scar on her top lip. 

 

"From kissing Robin, I suppose." Emma pointed at Regina's lip, obviously avoiding the actual topic she needed to bring up. Regina blushed slightly, but was accustomed to Emma speaking to her in this way when they were alone. She raised her right eyebrow, and dipped into her pocket for her mirror. Smirking, she replied, "what do you think Miss Swan?" Emma squirmed at the Miss Swan. She hated how detached from Regina this made her feel. 

 

"Regina," Emma drew out, "come on you know I don't like that..." Regina laughed, "okay then, Emma." She put her hands up, and then declared, "maybe I won't call you it if you actually tell me what you wanted to tell me in the first place. The suspense is really putting a dampener on my evening..." 

 

Emma sighed. "Okay, I just don't know how to word it. We, me and Hook that is," Regina cut in at the mentioning of Hook, "thanks for clarifying that detail." Emma sighed again, but couldn't help smirking. 

 

"We fell through the portal, and well, I ended up meeting the Evil version of you. I know you probably gathered that. I'm just working towards telling you the main part. You know... before other people find out. I feel like it's only right." 

 

Regina leant in, "I'm thinking I did something bad, then? Don't feel bad for telling me, I was evil back then, I don't think anything you tell me will really surprise me..." 

 

Emma scoffed, "oh, you think..." she started to panic. The voice in her head was overbearing, "this could possibly ruin the relationship we've built," it said. She knew this. She would have to tell her about all her pent up feelings, because otherwise making love to the Evil Queen would seem pretty unrealistic. I mean, you have to have deep feelings for a person to want them at their very worse, you know?

 

Emma leant in, putting her hand on Regina's arm.

 

"I'm going to be honest, Regina. There's a lot about this that you're probably not going to like. I know you won't. Even if you feel the same as I," she said, looking down away from the eye contact she had been holding, "this changes things. If not for you or even for me, it changes things for Henry. Because this is his book." She declared, holding it up. "He is going to read it. So we need to be, well I need to be, prepared for questions. And I know you aren't going to like the questions. The likelihood is, is that you're going to feel uncomfortable about this." 

 

Regina was staring intently into Emma's blue eyes. Her heart beat was slowly increasing in rate, she had started to panic. As she does, with these feelings, she boxed it away, and leant back against the chair. 

 

"But, as you know," Emma continued, "I'm not the best with words. I can't say it in words. I just can't. So..."

 

Emma opened the book to the section. It was there. Already written in, with drawn images of Hook and Emma's time in the Enchanted Forest. She flipped the pages until she found the occurrences in Regina's chambers. She sighed. She slid the book over to Regina's side. 

 

Regina took a deep breath, and looked down into the book. 

 

*

 

It had been about 10 minutes. Emma was staring down at Regina, trying to decipher what she was thinking. She had read all of the entries with herself, as the Queen, and kept flipping back and forth. Reading and re-reading certain sections. 

 

Emma couldn't sit in silence for any longer. Tears had begun to pool in her eyes because she couldn't read Regina. Regina can pull an excellent unreadable face. She does it when she needs to, this time most definitely not being an exception. 

 

"Regin," she began, only to be distracted by Hook emerging from behind Regina, with a brown haired lady standing by his side who looked as though she had just come out of the Enchanted Forest. 

 

Hook looked awkward. He could probably tell what was happening. On realising what he had interrupted, he spoke, "Swan, I know this isn't the best of times, but this woman came through the portal behind us. I thought it was only right I introduced her to everyone." 

 

Emma dried the tears that had escaped down her cheek, and nodded. "Yeah, go through Killian." 

 

Marian and Hook were walking towards the door when Marian turned around at the woman sitting opposite Emma. "Is that the Evil Queen?" she shouted, visibly shaken. "Aye," nodded Hook, "but remember what I said, she's different here, isn't that right Swan?" 

 

Emma looked up at Killian once again, then turned to Regina, who hadn't moved a muscle and who was staring blankly at the storybook with both of her hands buried into her hair, on either side of her head. 

 

"Yeah, she's Regina here." 

 

Killian and Marian disappeared into the Cafe. 

 

Emma turned back to Regina. She could see that tears had started to escape from her eyes. She looked up at Emma. They sat like that. Staring at each other, with tears running down their faces. Emma wasn't sure why Regina was crying. If this was a good or a bad thing. 

 

"Regina," Emma began, shaking her head and throwing her hands up. "Don't." Regina replied, tilting her head and trying to feign a smile. 

 

The intimate silence growing between them was broken by the shout of Robinhood from inside Granny's Cafe. "Marian," he shouted, and then Roland's voice, slightly quieter, enquiring, "mama?"

 

Regina's eyes shot from Emma to the door, and her face twisted as anger started to bubble through her veins. "No." Regina croaked, her voice broken. Emma was confused, but when Regina and her had been alone one time, she had mentioned Robin's past lover and realised that this was her name. "Oh my, Regina, I..." 

 

Regina stood up. She shuffled her dress down. She took the book in one hand and started to walk away, fast. 

 

"Regina, please don't walk away!" shouted Emma. She didn't expect a reply. She wanted to chase after her. But not only did she have to read...that... In the book, she had to overhear Robin be reunited with Roland's mother. She knew it was best to leave her alone. 

 

"I can't," spoke Emma, out loud. She looked up into the sky and there was a constellation of stars right above her head. "I'm going after her." 

Emma checked in on Snow, Charming and Henry before she ran for Regina. They announced that they were naming her new brother Neal. She was far too distressed to fully appreciate the gesture, but hugged them all close nevertheless. 

After that, she ran out and headed for Regina. She had a pretty good idea of where she had gone.


	11. Two Hugs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey again! 
> 
> So after doing a bit of research I've decided to include a little bit with Elsa in, as it'll just help me to have that in. I'm gonna try my best to minimise the Elsa stuff. I am going on holiday for a week tomorrow so don't expect a new chapter until about 2 weeks. I'll update ASAP. 
> 
> @swanqueer_x on twitter and instagram.
> 
> ~ unexpected hugs and full smiles ~

**Chapter Eleven**

Unbeknownst to Emma, while she was heading to where she was sure Regina had gone to, a storm was coming. The clouds in the sky had started to thin and the temperature had started to drop. It began at the barn, where a woman with platinum blonde hair and a shimmering blue dress was walking out on an iced path. Every time she put one foot in front of the other, the harsh ice started to form thicker, tracing her footsteps. After falling upon a sign that read "Storybrooke", the woman read it out loud. She had never heard of such a place. As she strode past it, it iced over. Storybrooke had begun to freeze, its residents oblivious to the upcoming threat.

 

*

 

Emma made her way to Regina's Heart Vault that she had from when she was the Queen. She figured she was either in her Office, or there. She decided almost immediately after Regina had ran away that it would be the latter. She was either trying to find a way to get rid of Marian, erase what happened between her and Emma, or maybe even both. That's what Emma thought, anyway. And she knew Regina quite well, could always read her next move, a little like second nature.

 

Emma had reached the vaults. It was just before autumn, so the green trees were starting to bronze and a few leaves had started to fall on the muddy ground. She leant on a tree near the vault, breathing in the icy air, which she thought was surprising this early into fall. "How am I going to approach this?" questioned Emma, speaking to herself. I mean, she had always had feelings for Regina. Back in Storybrooke it was easy to deny them. To shrug off how the overly lengthened eye contact, the brief touches of a finger or a hand, and the same love they have for Henry, made her feel. Honestly, Emma kind of idolised Regina. She knew it was kinda fucked up. But Regina was once this cold, bitter and broken person, and because of the love she had for Henry, she changed everything. God, it teared Emma up, truthfully. However, she never expected herself to fall for Regina as the Evil Queen. The Evil inside Regina is the most - if only (Emma thought) - ugly part of Regina. But Emma didn't even think the evil part was ugly, honestly. She obviously had to forgive Regina like everybody else for the hurt she caused as the Queen, but couldn't help seeing the beauty in even the darkest parts of her. And most surprisingly, the Evil Queen, hell-bent on revenge, bloodthirsty and cold, had fell, briefly, for Emma. As Emma leant on the tree, arms folded, this is what really took her aback the most. And is probably the reason why Regina's reaction to it all was so indecipherable. 

 

It was no use standing out here in the cold, Emma thought. She needed to speak to Regina, to console her. She had two things to accept, two things that could easily push her over the edge and revert her to the villain again. Emma could not have this. 

 

Emma took a deep breath and walked up to the vault. Ivy had formed on the stone, intertwining branches made the vault look gothic and dark, especially with it being in the late evening. She made her way to one of the rooms, and walked up to the archway. She leant in and could see multiple candles in different areas of the room, creating a warm orange glow on the walls. She detected a shimmer on the archway, probably a spell rendering Regina invisible. 

 

"Regina, I know you're in there. I just wanna talk. Look if it's too much right now, we don't have to speak about the book. Let me just be your friend and speak to you about Robin and Marian. It won't help to keep it in-" 

 

Just as Emma said this Regina became visible. She was sat on a stool in the corner of the room with her head in her hands. She was in the midst of many scattered books. "Knew it," Emma thought, realising she was probably right about Regina's next move. 

 

"Regina," Emma hummed, strolling over to her, trying to move the books with her feet as she walked to her. She leant down and went to touch her shoulder to comfort her, but before she could, Regina batted her away. "Don't," Regina spoke, not entirely threateningly, but definitely enough for Emma to recoil and realise she's feeling too sensitive for comfort. Regina does this, Emma has learnt. Whenever she is at her most vulnerable, she rarely takes the help provided to her. 

 

Emma frowned as Regina wiped the tears off her face and looked up at her with revenge in her eyes. "Don't be like that," Emma spoke softly, "I just wanna help, why do you think I'm here?" 

 

"You always want to help, Miss Swan, especially when its you who has caused the problem. It's always my happy ending, every time, that is ruined." Regina spat every syllable as she spoke, clearly angry. 

 

"I'm sorry but what have I ruined?" Emma asked, genuinely clueless, in regards to Robinhood and Regina, anyway.

 

"If you and Captain Guyliner hadn't flirted so much on your way back to the portal, or whatever you two do when you are alone, you may have noticed that woman following you through it." 

 

Emma scowled, "Regina, did you even read the book? Do you think after that I would be flirting with Killian? You didn't even speak to me about it and now you're acting jel - well, angry at me, for not preventing Marian slipping through. How could I have stopped that?" 

 

Regina realised she was being unreasonable. she knew she was just deflecting her emotions, blaming Emma when none of this was her fault. She knew Emma was the one person, besides Henry, who genuinely believed and cared for her. Despite everything, the woman standing beside her, arms crossed and ocean eyes full of worry, deeply felt concern for her. She didn't want to take it out on her, she really didn't. But after reading what she read in the storybook, she couldn't act normal with Emma. She feels uncomfortable and like she wants to escape out of her own skin. It's not that she's never thought about Emma like that, Regina knows she has, knows she to has probably denied more feelings than Emma has. But she's not ready for what any of that means. At all. And Robinhood is supposed to be her true love, she thought. It's supposed to be him. 

 

Regina sighed. "I'm sorry Emma, I'm sorry for not answering your questions. I know you didn't mean to bring her back. It's not your fault." she got up, walked over to Emma, paused for a second, and for the first time, initiated a hug between them. 

 

Emma fell into Regina's arms. God, she felt at home there. But she was on edge. They had exchanged quick hugs before, patted each other's arms. But they had never had a hug in this context before. And Regina wasn't moving either, she didn't move a muscle, she just stayed there, slightly squeezing Emma. Emma put her nose into Regina's hair and could smell her sweet perfume. She moved her hand lightly on Regina's back, feeling the smooth fabric of the leather jacket. She wanted to put her hand in her hair, wanted to kiss her neck and make her feel all kinds of feelings. But they were friends here, Emma realised. They weren't lovers and they never were lovers. One thing can't change that. But what if this is what was meant to happen? What if a person can have many true loves? And what if only one of them is your soul mate? What if Regina Mills feels the same about her, what if what was brought out of the Evil Queen is what is hiding beneath the layers of Storybrooke Regina? Emma wanted that. More than most things, honestly.

 

Regina finally let go of Emma and looked away, turning her back to the wall. 

 

"I need at least a night to process this." Regina exclaimed, turning around and trying to feign a smile for Emma. "Can we talk in the morning?"

 

Emma smiled. "Of course we can. Look, just don't do anything you're going to regret, okay?" 

 

Regina laughed. "You underestimate me Miss Swan. Do you really think I would turn back to my villainous self over a man?" 

 

Emma rolled her eyes and smirked. "He is supposed to be your true love Regina. I know you. I know how you might be feeling right now." 

 

Emma could see through Regina's sarcastic façade like an X-Ray can see bone. Regina knew this. "Come on." 

 

They strolled out of the vault together and parted ways. 

 

* 

 

It was morning and Storybrooke was still immensely cold. Nobody had really noticed. Robinhood had just left Regina's house after telling her he cannot break his vow to Marian, meanwhile Emma was with Henry, David and Mary Margaret. Emma sat them all down with the intention to tell them what had happened back in the Enchanted Forest, but after a warming reassurance from Snow that she didn't have to tell them until she was ready, she decided against it for the time being. Henry was visibly worried about Regina since the arrival of Marian in Storybrooke. He brought it up a lot over breakfast, Emma thought, as she was walking down the street, Henry at her side and parents in front of her with Neal in the pram.

They had all just crossed the road when Emma took out her phone in hope that Regina had texted her. She had been calling her all morning. Despite being civil when they parted ways last night, Emma suspected Regina was just pretending to be okay to make sure she didn't worry her. She was also trying not to overthink the warm hug. The smell of Regina and the warmth of her arms. She was so set on blocking this out. Henry, reacting to Emma's frown when she opened her phone, asked, "she hasn't answered any of your calls?" Emma frowned and sighed. "Nope. Looks like Regina does not wanna be disturbed." Henry suggested to call Regina, stating that she might just not want to talk to Emma. Emma thought there was probably some truth to this, laughed and said, "you may have a point, kid." 

Walking ahead to catch up with Mary Margaret, she noticed, smiled and turned to Emma. Immediately she commented on Henry and his worry for Regina. "He's gone through a lot of stuff recently, especially with both his moms seeing new men..." she trailed off, looking at Emma through her peripheral vision probably hoping for her to spill the gossip on Hook. 

 

Emma sighed. "Look, about me and Hook, well there is no me and Hook." Snow raised her eyebrow and snorted slightly. "No, really," Emma began, "whatever there was between us, it stopped. I know I haven't told you yet, but it has a lot to do with what happened in the Enchanted Forest." 

 

Snow was nodding, urging her to continue. She then decided to fill the silence, "well, I never really liked him that much anyway if I'm honest, Emma." The motherly concerned tone in her voice was still unusual to Emma. Emma laughed and before she could respond, Snow half laughed and spoke under her breath, "speak of the devil." 

 

Hook ran up to Emma, exclaiming, "Swan, can we talk?" Emma sighed, "Killian, do you mean talk, talk? Because we've done that, like a little bit anyway, what else is there to say?" Killian grabbed her arm to stop her from walking away, "Aye, we have Swan, but I feel like you're avoiding me despite you saying we could be mates...It's just a little confusing is all." 

 

Emma removed herself from his grasp, scoffed and said, "you stink of rum Killian. It's not that I'm avoiding you, I'm just worried about Regina right now, with all that happened and with Robinhood and Marian..." 

 

"Of course you are," Killian started to slur, "you know that's the one thing I don't understand, Swan. Her, of all people. The bloody evil queen, why her? Why not another bloke or anyone, why her?" 

 

Emma stopped walking. "Is the problem that she's a woman Killian? Can your head not compute the idea that two women might actually wanna be together for themselves and not for a man's amusement?" Killian shook his head, "No, Swan. It's just Regina, the Evil Queen, I don't get it." 

 

"Well like I said, I've had feelings for a while. And she can't help her past. we've all made mistakes Killian. I forgave you for yours, what's so hard to process, that I may have done that for Regina too?"

 

Before they could continue, Leroy ran at them, shouting that some "thing" had blasted him with magic. Emma saw a trail of ice, stating "the same thing that has created this, then, I guess." She decided right away she was going to follow the trail. She took her gun out and ran, following the trail, with Hook running after her.

 

After following the trail to where it had started to disappear, Hook and Emma noticed the air start to get colder and colder. Suddenly, a beast made completely of ice appeared in front of them. "Oh right, that's a new one," exclaimed Hook. Emma realised, as the beast growled, she was holding a gun right at it. 

 

"We don't wanna pick a fight," exclaimed Emma. The creature stood there, arching towards Hook and Emma. It suddenly let out an icy roar so powerful it blew both Emma and Hook on the floor. Unfortunately for Emma, she ended up landing on Hook and immediately jumped up off him.

"Come on!" yelled Emma, running out through the gap of the fence her and Hook had been thrown into. 

 

After sprinting past the Rabbit Hole, Emma and Hook ran into David. The screaming of people was almost deafening, and the monster almost seemed scared, Emma thought.

 

Emma was sure it was heading to the forest, so exclaimed, "I think it's headed to the forest!"

 

After a swift sprint with Hook and David trailing behind her, Emma reached a clearing where there were a few tents, a fire and Robin and Marian sat out. Robinhood immediately stood up, questioning, "what is it?" David answered with a confused expression, waving his arm as he said, "some kind of snow monster." 

 

The deep bellow of the monster kept growing louder and louder, and it became apparent that it was close to the clearing. 

 

"Pistol, sword, hook, my cunning wit, I don't think we have what it takes," Hook declared as the monster stomped in-front of them. Emma rolled her eyes, unsurprised by now at his arrogant comments.

 

David cut in, stating, "no but Emma does." Emma frowned, "I do?" 

 

"Your magic love," answered Killian. 

 

Emma's bottom lip curled and she nodded, "Umm, right." She placed both of her arms out in front of her, and opened her hands. A white light started to form and flew from her hands, bouncing into the snow monster. Happy with herself, she stepped forward and exclaimed, "take that frosty." But before there were any celebrations, the monster instead grew icy spikes and roared loudly, hitting Emma and the others out of the way with one swipe of its hand. 

 

Marian was the only one left standing, so grabbed a bow and arrow and aimed for it. Before she could realise the arrow, the snow monster pushed her to the ground and hovered ominously over her. 

 

Behind a tree, Regina appeared. She was wearing a silver dress and a silver blazer. She looked up at the monster, at Marian, back at the monster and took a few steps out. It would be easy to leave her die, said a voice in Regina's head. She knew she could just leave right now and get rid of her competition. Marian, petrified, pleaded, "please help me!" 

 

Regina disappeared into a puff of purple smoke, but re-appeared behind the monster and destroyed it with her magic, just as it was going to step on Marian. It was the right thing to do, and even though every bone in her body wanted her to leave Marian to die, she didn't. She wasn't going down that path again. 

 

Emma and everyone seemed to regain consciousness, and Marian announced, "she saved me." 

 

Emma looked at Regina, at Marian, and back at Regina who reluctantly returned the eye contact and smiled. Emma was glowing with pride, obviously happy that everyone could see her doing the right thing. 

 

"Hey, look we need to talk," Emma shouted as Regina started to walk off. Regina couldn't face her, and disappeared once again into a puff of smoke. 

 

* 

 

After Regina disappeared in the forest, Emma was anxious to talk to her, so made her way to her office. The door was shut but the lights were on.

 

"I know you're in there Regina, the light is on," Emma sighed, leaning on the door with her elbow.

 

Regina was sat against the door, eyes full of tears and head arched back. 

 

"You can have happiness. I know it doesn't seem like it. But you've just gotta fight." Emma spoke into the door, hoping that Regina would open it and fall into her arms again. 

 

She was answered with silence, so added, "Okay, well if you won't I will. Henry brought me to storybrooke to bring back the happy endings. My jobs not done until I do that for everyone. Including you." 

 

Regina was so confused at how much Emma cared for her. Was still so unused to this, to having someone there for her. She cleared her eyes, stood up, and sighed before she opened the door to her office. 

 

"Hi," waved Emma innocently, as Regina opened the door. "Come in," Regina ordered softly, closing the door behind Emma. 

 

Emma noticed that Regina's lipstick had smudged into her scar again, noticed the tear marks on her face and took a move that could have gone many ways. She hugged her. 

 

"Is this okay?" Emma spoke into Regina's neck, noticed that Regina hadn't relaxed into the hug. A few seconds later Regina had melted into Emma and said, "yes, Emma." 

 

Neither of them knew why it suddenly felt okay for them to show their affection like this. They both felt a shift in their relationship, Emma since the Enchanted Forest and Regina since she had read the sections in the book. It was probably an acknowledgement of the feelings they'd always had for each other, Regina thought. But then corrected herself, "Emma doesn't even know if I feel the same, seen as I haven't even told her." She didn't plan on telling her anytime soon, though. She knew this was kind of unfair, but figured Emma would understand. And in-fact, Emma was stood thinking that it was likely Storybrooke Regina probably didn't feel the same, but felt so at home in the warmth of the hug that she didn't care. She didn't realise how much she wanted her arms around her. Not until she had a taste of it. Now that's all she craves, honestly. 

 

Regina moved out of the hug, and spoke, "look I have something to tell you Emma." 

 

* 

 

Regina had just paused after telling Emma about Robinhood's visit in the morning. "I'm so sorry, Regina. A code of conduct? He's a thief?!" Regina scoffed at this and raised her eyebrow. "I know, but the reason I'm telling you this is that I visited Sidney, and I returned him to the mirror. I did it because I was going to go back in time and rewrite the past. I was going to remove Marian from the equation, not murder her but just remove her in a way in which I was blameless. I realised the only way I was going to do that is to find the author of the book. We've all read it. Villain's don't get happy endings, Emma. We're doomed." 

 

Emma was genuinely surprised at Regina confiding in her, telling her what her revenge plan was. "...And you're not gonna do any of that now, then?" Regina sighed. "I don't know. I know I can't really do it, especially now I've told you. I just have to fight the urge to do the wrong thing, all the time, and I still don't get my happy ending." 

 

Emma couldn't help but take some of this personally. She so desperately wanted to be Regina's happy ending, the fact Regina was giving up on the idea of a happy ending, just over Robin...It kinda pissed her off.

 

"So much for not turning bad over a man, huh," stated Emma. Regina looked up at Emma, realising that her happy ending could be sat right in front of her. 

 

"I guess that's why I don't think I want to go through with it. And Henry, of course. And, well..." Regina trailed off, averting her eye contact away from Emma. 

 

"Well what?" asked Emma, leaning in, trying to regain eye contact. "I kind of feel like I don't want to disappoint you, too, Emma. I just think...seen as how much you care, I should respect that." 

 

Regina found this tremendously difficult. She had tried to put any romantic feelings about Emma to the back of her mind for years, and then when Robinhood came into her life, her apparent soul mate, it was much easier to forget how she had felt. But now Emma was sat there in front of her with those eyes that were not fully blue nor fully green, but a combination of the both, with glowing blonde hair and her normal trusty red leather jacket, and it was hard to put the romantic feelings to the back of her head. The Emma who had made her past self, the evilest part of herself, tame. She never would have thought anyone could have loved those darkest parts of her. Everyone in her life, only ever wants her there when she's being the hero, doing the right thing. But Emma knows those two parts of her, and still cares for her, just like Henry in a way. She doesn't know what she did to deserve either of them.

"Emma, I'm not sure that I'm ready to talk about what happened with you and me, or past me, in the Enchanted Forest," Regina began, "but I do want to ask, obviously none of those feelings came out of the blue, how did you even want to...make love...to that version of me?" 

 

It was too much to bear to hear Regina Mills say 'make love' after a day of fighting a snow monster, for Emma. Like, too fucking much, even if she hadn't fought a snow monster. "Honestly, Regina, your guess is as good as mine... I think it was an in the moment kind of thing, and...if you read it, it wasn't exactly me who initiated it..." Emma trailed off, awkwardly. 

 

"True," Regina replied, "I mean, it's not that I never knew you were attracted to me, Emma," Regina added, smirking teasingly, "it's that I never knew that beyond friendship you had deep feelings, the ones that can make you overlook the darkest parts of someone." 

 

Emma shrugged, "well...now you know, I guess." 

 

Regina nodded. "Now I know." 

 

Emma got up, slightly upset because Regina's own feelings were so unclear. "Look I must get going, I promised to watch some movies with Henry tonight." 

 

Regina nodded, "of course, Swan." Emma went to walk out when Regina shouted her, "Emma," she paused as Emma turned around, "look, thank you." Emma smiled, feeling a warmth from Regina. She had just walked out of her house when she got an idea, a way to maybe distract Regina from Robin.

 

She strode back in and found Regina on her desk, reading the sections between her and Emma again. It was honestly kind of adorable to find her reading them, for whatever reason, Emma thought. 

 

Regina slammed them shut immediately, "did you leave anything?" she asked, trying to divert attention from what she'd just been doing.

"No, um," stammered Emma, "I was just wondering, if maybe you'd like to join me and Henry and watch a few films?" 

Regina's eyes lit up, her smile full and wide. "I'd really like that." She grabbed her coat and followed Emma out of her house.


	12. Love Is A Choice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Those who have been with me since the beginning will probably notice I've cut out a few chapters. Basically I just threw a few in together because the original layout was irritating me. Those who are new, ignore that! 
> 
> I ended including a lot of canon dialogue from an episode in this, but am hoping it fits in well with the story. 
> 
> I loved writing this chapter, so I hope that you love reading it. Not to give anything away, but, you really want to read this chapter. I cried a little bit when I wrote it.
> 
> ~ realisation, tender words and the warmth of her skin ~ 
> 
> love always, Rozz. @swanqueer_x (Twitter and Instagram)

**Chapter Twelve ******

****

Emma was watching the last film with Regina and Henry. Henry was wedged between them and enjoying the last of his popcorn. All night Emma had been glancing at Regina who was laughing and smiling, at things that Henry was saying, and certain scenes in the film. Regina looked so contented when she had one arm around Henry, when she could pull him in close and laugh along with him. It brought Emma happiness to just sit there with them both and enjoy a movie. It was calming and took her mind off everything that was going on. It wasn't something they had ever done before, and honestly she was wondering why she had never done it before. It was obvious how much small gestures mean to Regina, because even when she wasn't laughing or smiling, Emma detected a spark in Regina's eye that suggested happiness. Even if it was just from being with Henry, the idea that Regina was feeling this way in Emma's company was enough. Regina was so beautiful in the moments where she didn't think anyone was watching her, Emma thought. Emma spent more time staring at Regina than she did at the movies, honestly, and realised it was probably obvious to everyone, and she should definitely stop being so obvious about it. She was surprising herself. She never readily handed out her feelings to anyone, normally she'd reveal one small slither of emotion when there was actually much more hidden below the surface, but with Regina, she just couldn't help but be obvious about it. She wasn't saying any words, but surely how she felt was obvious just by the way she looked at her?

 

Just as she thought this, she realised earlier on when Regina had asked her why she wanted to "make love" to that "version of her", she hadn't given a very good answer. She hadn't really been prepared for such a question, and had closed up instead of really telling her what it was. It's just that Emma knows she can't help but want all of Regina. Of course she wants her to be the best version of herself, because she deserves to prove to herself after all of those years, she can still be good. But Emma likes the dark, damaged Regina, too. She knows what it feels like to have no one, to feel alone in the world. This is something that no-one else understands. Only Regina will ever understand this. That's why she wanted the dark part of Regina, Emma guessed. Because behind all that was a misunderstood woman, a woman who cared too much and hurt too deep. There was so much to Regina, so much that Emma completely adored and idolised and it all came out in the Evil Queen's Chambers, because Regina's initiation had brought out the hope in Emma, the hope that runs deep; the hope that Regina is her true love. And this is what she needed to tell her. But she realised, even if she could get Regina alone, she might not want to hear it. And it was also a big deal for Emma. Expressing her emotions was never her strong point. 

 

Emma got up, picked up the popcorn bowl and strolled over to the kitchen to re-fill it. Henry had pretty much eaten it all, obviously taking after her, and Emma realised how damn hungry she was. She actually fancied a grilled cheese but was pretty tired and couldn't be bothered making one. She was just pouring the last bag of popcorn in the bowl when Henry came in, whispering, "mom?" Emma turned around, and was slightly shocked to see him actually taking his eyes off the TV screen. "Hey kid, why are you whispering?" Henry leant in, and replied, "because I have a question about you and Regina." Emma picked up one of the un-popped popcorn kernels from the bowl and flicked it in the bin, nervous as she already knew that he could always sense when things were different between her and Regina. 

 

"Okay," sighed Emma, continuing to whisper, "what is it?" 

Henry sighed, "it's just, I've noticed that there's just something different between you guys, and I wanted to know...Did something bad happen in the Enchanted Forest, between you guys?" 

Emma shook her head, "no, nothing bad, don't worry about us, we're fine with each other." 

Henry, obviously unsatisfied with her closed response, answered, "well... did something good happen between you guys?" He was waiting patiently, as Emma was taking her time, trying to stay nonchalant, despite the fact panic was probably written all over her face. 

"Umm, well something happened between us but it's not a big deal, don't worry about it okay?" 

Henry shook his head, "fine Mom. But, I'm glad that you're both getting along. I, uh, like spending time with you guys, um, anyway..." Just as he said this he grabbed the popcorn bowl out of Emma's hands and mumbled, "thanks," to which he gestured to the popcorn he had already shoved in his mouth.

Emma frowned at him as he ran off with the popcorn and grabbed herself a drink, not sure if he was hinting at anything. He couldn't be, she thought, he's too young to get it. But then she remembered, her son was not only her son, but Regina's son, and he had also spent most of his life reading Prince and Princess love stories in the storybook. He's not too young to get it, reiterated Emma. He's just as perceptive as me, and probably knows there's more to it than I've made out. Emma knew she needed to find a way to tell her family what happened, because it wasn't going to stay hidden much longer. It just takes Snow to notice the difference between her and Regina before the questions start flooding in. It wasn't gonna be an easy thing to explain, either. 

 

Regina, Emma and Henry were 10 minutes before the end of the film when Mary Margaret and David stepped through the door with Neal in the pram. Picking up Neal to place him in his cot, Snow said hi to them and then realised Regina was there, too. 

"Oh, hi, Regina, what a surprise..." Regina glanced over at her and smiled when Emma cut in, "I invited her to watch some movies with me and Henry, sorry about the mess." 

Snow shook her head, "oh the mess isn't a problem, don't worry about it." Regina shuffled her skirt down as she stood up and picked up her coat, "I can go if it's a problem..." 

"Oh no, of course it isn't a problem," rushed Snow, "I just didn't expect you to be-" Regina laughed and filled her sentence with, "not plotting revenge?". Snow opened her mouth to reply when Regina said, "it's okay, I would have expected that of me, too." 

Snow slightly smiled and decided to change the subject, "sit down with Henry and watch the rest of the film, I'll make some drinks if anyone wants one?" Everyone started to nod when David said, "there are a few places losing power in the town. I think it might be the ice problem we have. I think we need to go and check it out, probably early tomorrow at the latest?" Emma smiled, "of course yeah, we'll just finish the last of the film and I'll get an early night." 

When the last film had finished, Regina had mentioned that she didn't want to overstay her welcome, so made her way out of the house. Not before Henry had hugged her goodbye and she had thanked Emma again for the evening. Emma shut the door behind her, following her out. "It's really not a problem," stated Emma, "I think we should do it again sometime, I think Henry liked spending time with us both." 

"Yes, I think we should. Thank you again Emma... for everything." They stayed there for a moment and neither one of them initiated a hug so Regina left. Both of them had wished they had.

*

"I haven't seen you and Hook together recently," David cut in. Him and Emma had nearly reached the towns border. It was actually the afternoon before they'd made their way out. They had been speaking the whole time. Emma had expected a specific topic change sooner or later. "Yeah, uh, we kind of cut off whatever it was we had. Let's just say it wasn't really working out." 

David glanced at her with another question in his eyes, "well I hope there isn't anything I need to discuss with him..." Emma scowled and with a slight smirk laughed, "I can look after myself you know." David nodded, keeping his eyes on the road. "I know you can." 

They reached the towns border to see a huge tonne of ice blocking the way. "What the hell," David said, moving is head to look at how high it towered. "Well there you go," Emma replied, realising what must have caused the power shortage. 

"Whatever happened to these power lines happened after the snow monster," Emma sighed and looking at David added, "lets go find whoever did this." 

Emma and David walked over to the ice with caution. Looking at its width, Emma stated, "this looks like this goes the whole way round." David scoffed, "so, once again we can't leave Storybrooke." 

"It looks to me like whoever put up the wall wasn't looking to put out the lights, they were just looking to put up the wall," Emma exclaimed, being careful to avoid walking on any electricity lines. 

"But why?" David replied. Before Emma could answer, for a brief second she saw a shadow moving in the ice. "I think I see something behind the wall," she whispered, "stay here." David nodded and Emma climbed in.

There was an immediate temperature drop as soon as she entered, making her rub her arms out of instinct. She took a few more steps forward to see a woman with plaited hair, stood in a long blue dress and who was visibly shaken; clear from the elongated hand she was holding out with blue magic sizzling out of it. 

Emma was surprised, asked, "hey, who are you?" looking her up and down and immediately noticing the magic pulsating in her palm. "My name is Elsa," replied the stranger, her voice shaking. 

"Okay, Elsa, it's okay," she said, gesturing to her hand, "I'm Emma. Do you have anything to do with this wall?" 

Elsa nodded. "I'm looking for someone, my sister, this was hers." 

Emma's eyes were drawn to the silver necklace in her other hand. It was in the shape of a snowflake. Out of intrigue she went to touch it, but Elsa retorted, so Emma took a step back. 

Elsa shouted, "where is she?" and Emma was utterly confused. "I have no idea but if you want me to help you, you have to help me. What's her name?" 

"Anna. Her name is Anna." 

Emma was just about to reply, though she didn't really know what to say, when David shouted through the gap with his gun held up. 

"Stay back!" yelled Emma, "it's okay!" 

Elsa immediately feared him, and the ice cave shifted loudly and shut the gap, knocking Emma to the ground and flinging David across the floor on the other side. 

Emma got up and wiped some ice off her jeans, "wow, ow!" she exclaimed. "You put on quite a show, are you gonna tell me what this is all about?" 

Elsa's lips started to thin as she replied, "no, just that I'm very powerful and you and your people need to keep your distance." 

"I think I can guarantee that if you wanna hit undo on that," Emma replied jokingly, her thumb pointing to the caves entrance. 

"Not yet." Elsa stood, defensively, "bring me what I want and...I'll consider it." 

"Your sister right? I can't really do that from in here." Emma frowned, while her radio buzzed and David's voice could be heard through the static crackling. "Emma! Emma!" 

Emma realised Elsa probably didn't know what the device was, just as she asked "what is that?" Emma didn't know how to describe it so answered, "if you wanna melt that we can all talk." 

Elsa pointed at the radio and demanded, "tell him to get Anna." 

"Dad, can you hear me? I'm in here with Elsa, she's looking for her sister and thinks she's in this town because she found a necklace of hers in Gold's shop, she wants us to find her." 

"I will go quickly and see what I can do," David replied hurriedly, anxious to get Emma out. 

Emma put the radio down. She was starting to get really cold. It was coming to her in waves, so it wasn't too bad, but she suspected if she was in there much longer it would be.

*

Regina was hurriedly getting into her car with Henry in the passenger seat. She had reiterated to him many times that she wasn't happy with him coming along, because it was too dangerous. But he wasn't having it. David had rang up Henry telling him that Emma was trapped in the ice cave, and as he had been round at her house all day, she had immediately charged into action. She thought she could give her magical assistance, of course, that's the believable reason she used, as she wasn't willing to admit just how worried for Emma she was as soon as she heard of her entrapment. 

"When we arrive at the wall, you have to stay in the car, Henry. It's too dangerous," Regina ordered as she headed to the town line. 

"Yes, mom," sighed Henry, "honestly I kind of thought you would just leave me at home..." 

"Well that's never worked," scoffed Regina, "you always find a way to do exactly what isn't safe, at least this way I can keep an eye on you." 

Henry smirked and decided to ask her what he had asked Emma previously. "So, mom, what's happened between you and Emma?" 

Regina, eyes set on the road, was completely unprepared for this question. He'd already asked her how she was feeling about Robinhood, offering what help he could give. But she hadn't really lied to him when she said she was getting over it, because she was. She didn't want to give into the darkness over a man. Especially someone who would risk losing her. Obviously, a part of her was still hurt. It was too early for her to be fully over it. So that's what she told Henry, roughly. But, if she let herself admit it, what was helping her the most was having Emma there. Realising that Emma's always been there. Realising that Emma's deep emotional feelings for her are real. This was something she could never have predicted. Regina had known from when she had first met her that she was attracted to Emma, behind her hate at first was a lot of sexual tension. She was sure too, that the feeling was mutual. There was multiple occasions of shared stares - intense eye contact - eye contact that could only have suggested that they were attracted to each other. Slight touches - here and there - but nothing more. Regina wasn't surprised at the attraction between them because she knew she'd had numerous sexual experiences with women, more so than men after Daniel. But she was also deeply aware of the emotional connection she had built with her son's other mother. Her support had never gone unnoticed, but she had tried to mostly put it to the back of her mind. Only because she never knew what she did to deserve it. She feared that the support Emma gave Regina was all saviour business. With Emma's role as saviour, Regina had easily forgotten what she was before, a damaged woman, just like herself. Someone who rarely spoke about their feelings. Rather who showed it in their actions. But who had been doing this all for her. Unknowingly, she had been telling herself that whatever it was between them wouldn't escalate, wouldn't move past friends or whatever it was. And because she hadn't let herself think it all through, she hadn't thought in detail about what she wanted. Who she wanted. And honestly, realising all this, while noticing how quickly her apparent 'true love', could discard her, it was like waking up from a long slumber. Love is a choice, she thought. 

For a brief moment, she looked at Henry out of her peripheral vision. Like always when he asks a personal question, his face was glancing up at her innocently, encouraging her to give in. By now she was used to this. Aware from previous experience it was impossible to pull wool over her son's eyes, she realised she needed some explanation. She knew she couldn't explain all of that to him, but needed to ensure she didn't lie to him. 

"Well, what me and Emma have is complicated. But we are getting along well, nothing bad has happened, so you needn't worry." Regina knew that keeping things from Henry just made him upset. Especially when it concerned her or Emma. But she didn't know how much she could - or should - reveal to him.

"I asked her that and she said the same thing. And mom, I know it has something to do with the Enchanted Forest because I know you have the storybook and no-one has read it since Emma and Hook came back." 

Regina sighed. "If both of your mother's have told you not to worry, then you definitely have nothing to worry about, okay Henry?" 

Henry nodded, "alright Mom." 

Regina, aware of him being displeased, added, "I'm sorry Henry, we will discuss it with you soon." It was only right that they told him. That didn't mean anyone else needed to be told, though. 

Henry's mood immediately started to lift and she could see him slightly smiling out of her peripheral. She looked ahead of her and noticed they were at the town line, explicitly clear by the large ice boulder. 

Henry moved forward in his seat to try and see the full height of the boulder. "Let me help, mom," asked Henry.

Regina chuckled slightly, "sorry Henry, but I don't think there's anything you can do. Hopefully I can do something." She stopped her car and took the keys out of the ignition, "stay here." 

She got out of the car and locked it, putting her keys in her pocket. Walking up to the ice block, she had wanted to start blasting magic at it just to see what she was contending with. But not knowing where Emma was inside, she decided to not to take the risk. She instead shouted her, so as to avoid hurting her. 

 

* 

 

Emma had been talking with Elsa again before she had heard Regina's voice. 

"Is the snow monster something you made?" she had asked Elsa, to which she had replied, "I'll do anything to get what I want." 

Emma could tell how deep Elsa's connection with her sister must be, and had answered, "sorry about your sister, you obviously care about her a lot." 

It only came apparent to Emma that Elsa actually couldn't control her magic, when she noticed Elsa refrained from using it after she saw the fallen snowflake necklace. This was precious to her, and the fact she didn't make an effort to get it suggested that simply, she couldn't. 

"What you said to David before wasn't a threat was it? It was a warning because you can't control what you're doing." 

Elsa hadn't liked this, and had snapped back, "what makes you think you know me?" 

Emma didn't know Elsa. But could sense something familiar in her. "Because I know me," she had replied, "I have powers too and I'm not controlling them, it looks as if you're the same way." 

Elsa had then asked Emma questions about her magic. Honestly it was all kind of a blur to her because of how freezing she was. Her skin was ice cold to the touch and she couldn't feel her toes. 

Elsa had said something about hurting people, Emma had said something about being lonely, and suddenly through the blur Regina's voice had broke through. She didn't know if she was hearing things or if she had actually heard her voice. As loud as she could, she shouted, "Regina?" but was so dizzy with cold she fell to the ground. She kept slipping in and out of consciousness, Elsa was moving her and talking to her and she could hear Regina every now and then. Suddenly, the radio static started to buzz once again and David's voice cut through.

"Elsa? Elsa? How's Emma?" 

"She's freezing," Elsa replied, "turning blue."

"I just got here," David said, "Regina's here too. We need a way out."

Emma mustered all the energy she had to lean up when she heard that she wasn't imagining things, that Regina was actually there.

Elsa looked down at Emma due to her sudden movement, and replied to David, "But I need Anna." 

Emma could hear Regina grr on the end of the static, and heard David's "it's okay Regina, look Elsa, I don't have her right now but I found a way to find her, and we will, but right now you're gonna have to do this on your own." 

Elsa stammered, "I can't control this."

Regina grabbed the radio off David, "well you bett-" but before she could finish her sentence David took it back and whispered, "not helping" to her. 

"I know how you feel Elsa, you're trapped. It's a battle you can't win, but it is exactly kind of battle you have to fight, or you'll die." 

Regina was rolling her eyes on the other end, pacing back and forth, anxious to get Emma out whatever the collateral damage. But melting it down would endanger Emma, so it's not like she could do that. 

Emma was still struggling with consciousness. Elsa looked down at her while she replied to David through the radio, "no, I won't, I'll survive, but Emma-"

"Survival isn't enough, you have to live." 

Elsa moved the radio further to her face, "where did you hear that?"

"You know where." David replied.

Emma glanced up at Elsa as her face started to glow at what David had said, "Anna? You knew her?" 

"Yeah, I did. She helped me once, a long time ago, become who I am. She saved my life and yours. And now I need you to save Emma's. I didn't know much about Anna, but she wouldn't want you to live alone in an ice cave, which is where you'll be if you don't melt that ice. Now do it!"

Elsa stopped leaning down over Emma and walked over up to the ice block, throwing up both of her hands. 

Emma managed to sit up and lean on her knees. She looked up to see blue magic radiating out of Elsa's hands and a hole forming in the ice. In it she could see David and Regina's face emerge. Regina's face was stricken with worry and frustration, David's with anticipation. Elsa ran to help Emma stand, hurrying her out of the hole.

The first thing Emma knew was that she was warm in someone's arms. And they weren't David's. She could tell it was Regina from the sweet smell of her as she nuzzled into her neck. "You're freezing," Regina exclaimed, "are you okay Emma?" Emma merely nodded and mumbled yes into her neck. Regina noticed David looking at them both with mild surprise for a brief second. "Let's get you warm," he stated, throwing a blanket over her, "and get you inside." Regina nodded as David stayed behind to talk to Elsa. 

Emma put both of her arms around Regina as she couldn't walk straight on her own. "Trust you to go into there unprepared," exclaimed Regina, but with mostly worry rather than anger. Honestly, Emma needed some normality after nearly freezing to death. She chuckled and then Regina added, "I was worried."

Closer to Regina's car they got, the clearer Henry's image was. He was pointing to the door, and Regina realised he would want to get out as soon as he saw the state Emma was in. She unlocked the door and he immediately came running out, shouting, "mom!"

After hugging Emma he helped Regina get her into the car. 

 

*

 

She was sat up in the corner of her bed, with a hot fan blowing on her from the corner of the room and a hot cocoa in hand. Emma had made her way upstairs, still cold and shattered. When she'd got home, Snow, David and Henry had been fussing over her and Regina was simply glaring at her, with worry or anger, honestly Emma didn't even know. Emma had asked Elsa if she was okay, and David had revealed Bo-Peep's staff, which had eventually shown Anna's heartbeat, thus showing she was alive. After the power came back on and Henry had made her a hot cocoa with cinnamon, she'd told them all thanks, and made her way to her room. It wasn't until Henry had left her bedroom that Regina had emerged, smiling as she walked in and propping herself up on the edge of Emma's bed. 

"Feeling any better?" Regina asked. 

Emma shuffled herself into a ball, replying, "yeah, a little. The kid made me the usual."

"Hot cocoa with cinnamon." Regina smiled. "Is it okay if I come over there?" She asked, gesturing to the other side of Emma's bed. 

"Sure," replied Emma, "but I'm gonna end up collapsing on you, I'm shattered." 

"That's not a problem," smiled Regina, sitting herself down next to Emma.

"It felt like I was in there for hours," Emma scoffed. 

"You were," Regina replied, "it's coming up to 9 now and you were down there at what time?" 

"Afternoon-ish," Emma nodded, "how was your day?" 

"Mostly spent worrying about you," Regina laughed, nudging Emma slightly. 

"You worry about me?" Emma asked jokingly, nudging her back, "since when?" 

"I always worry about you, Emma." Regina replied plainly. 

"Look-" began Emma.

"No, wait," Regina began, "I was worried about you, because I care about you too, Emma." 

"You don't have to-" Emma cut in. 

"No, but I want to," Regina replied, putting her hand onto Emma's knee. "I was worried about you today. Especially because I couldn't help you. But most of all, because with magic you never know what could happen. That means that danger is at every turn, and there is always the possibility that something really bad could happen. And I wouldn't want something bad to happen to you. Least of all before I tell you what you deserve to know. And what I, myself, have only just begun to realise." 

This put the fear of God into Emma, honestly because it could go many ways. And Regina was pretty unreadable right now, except for the tears in her eyes that had already started dripping onto her cheek.

"That, love, Emma, is a choice." She wiped the tears away, and continued. "I don't want to choose to love anyone who would discard me. I don't care what's fated; what's destiny. I want to be wanted, accepted, sometimes even understood. And what dawned upon me, is that you have always stood by me. You have backed my corner when I frankly have not deserved to be backed. You might not always understand me, but you accept me. You believed in me. And...so it seems, have wanted me. For a while. And still do. Emma, if I said that to love you is a choice, I would be both lying and telling the truth. Telling the truth, because I have not yet fully recovered from the love that has broken me in the past, or let myself fully understand how I feel about you. But lying, because, I think it's possible that I may already love you, Emma." 

She looked over to Emma, who had put her cocoa on the bed-side table and who was sobbing as she watched Regina's every movement. Regina reached out her hand to wipe her tears and continued.

"You've always brought out the good in me, just like Henry, in so many ways. I cannot thank you enough for what you have gave me, and what you continue to give me, everyday. When I read that excerpt in the storybook, yes, I was emotional, and confused. Frankly, I still am, at you liking me in my darkest, darkest moments. But what got to me the most, was that past me, blinded by hate, was so taken with you that she had, for a brief moment, felt something again. So yes, love is a choice, and destiny has never benefitted me, but Emma, I think this has all led up to this, to me and you. I don't know what can come of this, if whatever this is can be told to anyone yet, or acted upon. I just realised that you needed to know this, that I needed to be honest with you, and most of all, to myself."

Emma's face was damp with tears. "Not to be funny here," Emma reached out her arm and placed her hand on Regina's, "but I kinda just melted." 

Regina laughed, "is now really a time for joking around, Miss Swan?" 

"Jokes aside, I mean it. You don't realise how much it means to hear that. How much I never knew I needed to hear that until now. Nobody has ever said anything like that to me before."

Regina moved her hand so her fingers were interlocked with Emma's. "It's okay, dear. You don't need to say anything. You just needed to have listened." 

"Thanks Regina, for being honest with me. Honestly I kinda thought I'd just been seeing something in you because I wanted to see it, you know? But you weren't the only one who had something to say actually, and you definitely deserve to hear what I have to say." 

Regina shuffled up to Emma so they were shoulder-to-shoulder. "Go on."

Emma began, "well, when you asked me why I wanted to 'make love' to the 'evil' you, I didn't do the question much justice. I wanted that part of you, because I see so much in you. Behind all the layers is someone who is just misunderstood, who feels deeply and then hurts too deep because of it. And then who puts walls up to conceal it. And then who doesn't let anyone in out of fear. I get you, because I know me. We do similar things, and so, the connection between us is different, it's special. When I looked into the Queen's eyes, I just saw you. I saw you, the woman I have grown to love, in your darkest, darkest moments. I didn't see a monster. I saw that light, that light when I look at you right now, in those eyes. And it filled me with this hope Regina, the hope I've known that I've had for a while. That you're my true love. It sounds really soppy but god, that's just what it is. Like you, I don't know what this can be, if this can work. But damn, do I want it. I want you." 

Teary eyed, it hadn't actually taken much thought, Regina leant over and kissed Emma soft at first, but then hard on the lips, putting one hand in her hair and the other on her lower waist. It wasn't wet or sloppy, it wasn't that kind of kiss. It was just passionate. Emma sniffled and was shaking all over. Not even from the lasting cold. Just from the whole conversation they just had and the fact that Regina fucking Mills had just kissed her. A passionate, needy kiss. But not for sex, just intimacy. Being close to someone you deeply crave. Emma craved Regina in every way. But not sexually, right now. What she wanted right now was to hug Regina and feel like everything she felt wasn't stupid, and it was returned. And honestly after her little speech earlier on she figured it wasn't stupid, and it was returned. And that was enough for now, they could sort out what happened next at a better time. 

Emma had shuffled out of the blanket and put both of her legs over Regina, who was leaning against the bed, face glowing. Emma nuzzled into her neck. They just stayed like that. Half hugging and just enjoying the warmth of each other. It had been a while since Emma had sat like this in bed with someone. Even Regina hadn't sat like this in bed with Robinhood that often. What was so strikingly obvious to them both, was how right it felt. They hadn't even been like that for more than a minute before there was a creak in the entrance of Emma's room. 

"Mom?" a voice asked, directed at both Emma and Regina. 

 

*


	13. Everything Feels Right

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! 
> 
> Sorry this update took sooo long. I just returned to college and I have a part time job now too. So I apologise if the updates are far apart. It may seem at times like I have left this, but I would never do that without notifying you all first okay! 
> 
> For an apology, I think this is like, 12K words? Most I've written for a chapter. So I hope you enjoy it! 
> 
> Please leave feedback, I'd love to hear what you guys are enjoying. Or what you'd like to see, suggestions are welcome. 
> 
> X 
> 
> @swanqueer_x on Twitter.

**Chapter Thirteen**

Emma opened her eyes. It was a bright, sunny morning. There were hardly any clouds and the sky was a perfect blue, which was unusual for the season. She was rather hot and stuffy, and it didn't take her a while to realise why. On her left side, Regina had snuggled into her chest. Her hair was all messy and some of her makeup had ran onto Emma's t-shirt. She looked beautiful, Emma thought. She couldn't see her much among all her hair, but that was kinda the reason she looked so beautiful, as she was effortless and unguarded. She'd fell asleep on Emma - which was adorable for starters - but had seemingly not let go all night, either. On her right side, Henry had managed to lean on her too. He wasn't curled into her like Regina was, but nevertheless was adding to how stuffy it was. It was entirely uncharacteristic of Emma to have woken before anyone else (because she knew she loved her sleep, she could literally sleep for days). It must have been the heat that woke her, or maybe Henry's snoring (which was actually quite loud). It seemed uncharacteristic of Regina to have slept in her work clothes, too. But there she was, still in yesterday's clothes with her makeup smeared and that messy hair. It was something that wouldn't ever leave Emma's mind. Her son, his other mother and her, all in an embrace. Honestly, it felt like she was home more than ever before. Emma did feel at home with her parents most of the time - and especially with Henry - but now to be under the same roof with them all, it really startled Emma, just at how far she had come. She always felt like she had no-one before she came to Storybrooke. But now, here she was. And finally feeling like her and Regina felt the same for each other - that was a whole other level of happy. 

 

She was hoping that her parents hadn't worked out that Regina had stayed over, mostly because of the questions it would provoke. They didn't make an appearance at any point in the night so it was likely that they could wing it and say Regina left in the evening, but by using magic. It was to be kept as a secret, for now. That's what they'd decided anyway: her, Henry and Regina, the previous evening. After Henry had came in with an obvious question in his eyes, and after Regina and Emma had looked at each other knowingly, they figured he required an explanation. Emma knew how perceptive and understanding Henry was, knew he'd already noticed a change. So she had started to explain, saying that "you were right about something happening in the Enchanted Forest. Between me and past-Regina. For some reason she couldn't kill me, and eventually I convinced her of our friendship, but..." It was at this point, when Emma started to struggle, that Regina had realised Emma was cutting corners and didn't know how to describe it to him.

"But," began Regina, "me and Emma were, for that brief period, more than friends. Similar to most stories in the Storybook, if you understand?" Henry was nodding along and hadn't batted an eye, "I'm old enough to get that mom, why didn't either of you tell me earlier?" Emma sighed and had answered, "we weren't sure what to do with what happened ourselves. I hadn't met the present Regina, I'd met her as the Evil Queen, and also Regina had taken a forgetting potion, so she didn't know any of this until recently. It wasn't exactly a surprise to me, what happened, but I thought it kinda would be with Regina. Plus, you're still a kid you know?" Henry seemed to get that, and asked, "so is that why you haven't let anyone see the Storybook since you came back from the Enchanted Forest? You know everyone would be cool with it, right?" Regina looked at Emma slightly and then back at Henry, "would they? Even if they did, me and Emma don't feel as though it's a necessity for everyone to know, yet." Emma agreed, and then Henry had another question.

"So, what are we gonna call it?" Emma thought this was typical of him, and she'd ruffled his hair playfully asking, "do we have to have a codename for everything kid?" Henry smiled and nodded and eventually they decided on 'Operation Dragonfly', as it was very unclear what that could be to prying eyes and ears. It was the first Operation that Regina had been in with them, so to Emma it felt extra special. Emma couldn't really remember much else from that night, she was still recovering from nearly freezing to death and figured that they all crashed at the same time. She does remember the warmth of Regina and Henry, though, and how comforting it felt to fall asleep like that. But now, it was just too damn stuffy for her to fully enjoy the moment. 

  
Emma noticed that Henry was starting to stir in his sleep. She'd been too busy thinking about last night to really notice. He woke up Regina, who groggily glanced up at Emma and frowned. Squinting her eyes, she mumbled something inaudible, but along the lines of, "Emma have you been staring at me? Stop staring at me."

Emma was laughing as Regina shuffled and sat up on the bed. Her white silk blouse was teetering open, and had probably come undone overnight, though she normally had it quite low anyway. It was just part of how gorgeous she was, it literally leaked out of every bit of her, and made something as nonchalant as a low-cut blouse, seem heavenly. Emma hadn't realised that she was looking until she heard a noise alike to a grunt from Regina's throat. Emma looked up at her face to find she was raising her eyebrows and pouting slightly. Her disapproving face started to develop into a smirk, and Emma knew she'd taken this as a compliment merely from the eye contact maintained between them. She tested her luck by looking down while Regina was doing the last few buttons.

Emma only stopped looking at Regina re-dressing herself when Henry started to wake. "Hey mom," he said looking up at Emma. He sat up and then lent backwards and smiled toothily "and mom." Regina looked at Emma and they both laughed and looked down at him.

Henry sprang up and asked right away, "what's for breakfast? I'm hungry." 

Regina put her index finger over her mouth, and Henry realised her staying overnight was supposed to be a secret, and any noise that indicated Regina was up there would be a risk. "Well we could still make you some," Emma said, throwing her arms up and curling her bottom lip, so as to say why the hell not.

"No no," Regina insisted, moving off the bed, "don't worry about me, I need to get going anyway."

Henry looked at them both, realised how hungry he was, and how it looked as though a _moment_ was brewing between them both. "Moms? I'm gonna head down." He then looked over his shoulder, and lowered his voice directing, "see you later?" at Regina. "Of course," she smiled, watching him awkwardly shuffle out of the room.

 

Emma pouted at Regina when Henry left. She then patted where in the bed Regina had previously been. "I liked it when you were here, come back." 

Regina smiled softly at the blonde, whose eyes were glimmering up at her as she pouted. Regina lent down onto the end of the bed frame, so she was eye-to-eye with Emma. "I liked it too, being with you two. It was really nice."

Emma looked up at Regina, who was brushing off her clothes and straightening them out, and exclaimed jokingly, "I didn't really have a choice, you just spread out all across me and collapsed, it seems."

There was a minute of silence as Regina looked up at Emma, then back down at her clothes. "Well, if that's how you would like to end last night, then fine," Regina replied coldly. She shuffled a little and her stance changed, as it does when she's serious about something. 

"Regina," Emma hummed, "you've got to know I was joking." There was worry in her voice, and she was desperately trying to catch Regina's eye as she hated it when she averted her eye contact, because it was normally when she was putting up walls.

Regina looked up at Emma, directly into her eyes. Her face was serious and her eyes cold. Then she burst out laughing and her eyes lit up like a beacon. "Of course I know dear," she announced, moving over to Emma. Regina was in such a good mood, she'd decided to trick the blonde. 

Emma threw a pillow at her as she was walking over, and exclaimed, "Regina!". Emma then clasped her mouth with her hand and Regina grinned and lent down to kiss her on the cheek. Emma could feel her heart rate increase as she moved her cheek against Regina's, her soft skin sending shivers down her spine. 

She then looked up at Regina and moved up to kiss her on the nose. Regina, as she was still stood up, should have had all the dominance. But for some reason Emma could sense that, in this moment, Regina was smitten, just waiting for Emma to pull her down, and it was her who had all the power.

Emma pulled Regina by her shirt collar onto the bed and moved on top her, trying not to make too much noise as they both stumbled onto the covers. They were eye-to-eye and their noses were touching. Emma could feel Regina's breasts pressed against her. She was trying not to find the moment too sexual seen as they'd had a really innocent night, but she just couldn't help the warmth developing in her stomach. She knew this familiar feeling well. Had felt it over Regina numerous times and denied it nevertheless. Had felt it when she was with her, but not the her, her, in the Enchanted Forest...

"Dear, I have to go," Regina spoke quietly, and almost slightly breathlessly, "Henry will be wondering where you are, and...it'll be obvious to your parents there's someone up here with you. I feel a bit like a child, sneaking around."

Emma pouted again, "I know, but just stay for a few more seconds, please."

Regina sighed, but her eyes said something else. They were urging Emma to touch her. So Emma moved her hands, putting one in Regina's hair and the other on her arm, feeling her soft, warm skin. Then she kissed her on the lips, harder than they had kissed before. (Well, in Storybrooke, anyway)

She carried on kissing her, gradually parting her lips wider and wider. Emma felt the brush of Regina's tongue against her bottom lip and it sent a shiver down her spine again. Emma couldn't resist, so she slipped her tongue in. They both had morning breath but it didn't seem to really matter, Emma could still taste the sweetness on Regina's tongue, something she'd remembered from their kisses in the Enchanted Forest. God, Emma had missed it, craved it, wanted it, ever since. And this felt better too, because this time she knew for definite it wasn't just an unrequited feeling, that what she felt was returned. She knew Regina wanted it too, wanted her and her kisses. She could tell from how submissive she'd been, how she was waiting for Emma to make the first move. But Emma knew that this wasn't the time, or the place, for anything to escalate too far. And she knew Regina well enough to know that she knew this too, was probably thinking it as their kisses got progressively hotter. Emma didn't know if it was her insecurity or because there was truth to it, but she was worried that, despite having her feelings returned, Regina would change her mind and decide that no, she didn't actually want Emma like that at all. I mean, she seemingly didn't have any ties with Robin anymore, and she certainly seemed sure that she'd had feelings for a while too. So Emma was probably just worrying. Regina Mills did something to her that not many had ever done to her. Losing her before she'd even really...got her would just hurt her deeply. But all that worry could be put to the back of her mind, because what cut through all the worry, was the warmth of the kiss. The warmth of Regina's hand that had made its way into Emma's hair. The feeling of her body pressed against hers. It was soothing, comforting even. The physical act carried with it an emotional, passionate feeling of craving and desire. 

Emma stopped kissing her, afraid to kiss her anymore and rush anything between them. They were both flustered, their eyes darker. 

Regina's brown eyes were deep, chocolate pools, her mouth slightly pink left over from her rouge lipstick. She took a deep breath and sighed. "Why didn't we do that, this, sooner?" she asked, with a husky tone to her voice.

"Too busy denying our feelings for one another, huh?" Emma teased, lightly patting Regina on the arm.

Emma had just started to shuffle off Regina, and lent next to her, placing one arm across Regina's stomach as the other propped her up. She was just lapping up the moment while she had it. Regina turned her head to the blonde and exclaimed,

"I mean that, Emma. I'm truly sorry that I haven't made it clear...ever... that my feelings for you were more than...well, what they were."

Emma shook her head and lent over to kiss her on the cheek. "Don't apologise. You don't need to. Hell, I don't think either of us really got what was going on between us. We've had too many distractions. Too many gross men. Let's just go from here, okay?"

"I'd like that." Regina smiled. "But I really, really need to get going. If we haven't made it obvious to those idio-" Regina laughed, stopped herself and continued, "to your parents, then staying any longer will definitely make it obvious."

"Okay." Emma agreed, jumping off the bed so as to pull Regina up and pull her into her arms. She stroked her olive skin, hugged her tight and released her to kiss her forehead.

"See you soon?" asked Emma, wrapping her arms around Regina again to say goodbye.

"See you soon." Regina nodded. With that she stepped back and disappeared into a puff of purple smoke.

 

Emma got her grey t-shirt on and her trusty dark blue jeans. They probably needed a good wash seen as she hadn't thrown them in the washer for a good few days. She decided she'd probably toss her brown leather jacket on when she went out, as she felt more herself when she wore a leather jacket. She made her way downstairs to see Henry popping some toast in the toaster. Emma knew that she still needed to find Elsa's sister, so she would have to see her at some point in the day. She also wanted to see Regina again. She was starting to miss that god damn woman whenever she wasn't around. She figured having breakfast first was best though, seen as her stomach had started grumbling.

Her parents had just surfaced into the kitchen when Snow made herself known, with that inquiring look in her eyes.

"Who were you talking to, up there? I was sure that I could hear voices..."

Henry had just bit into his toast when he looked at the petite brunette who was questioning Emma - and when he saw Emma's panicked faced he nearly choked on it.

Emma stuttered slightly, and began, "uh...I was just talking..."

"To herself," added Henry, grinning into his plate. "She's started doing it a lot lately, maybe she's going a little bit crazy."

Emma shot him a glance of thanks - but also of offence - and exclaimed, "hey, Kid, I'm not going crazy!"

David chuckled and elbowed Snow as he walked past her, "just like your mother," he stated.

Snow let out a shocked gasp and slapped David on his arm - gently though, as she had started to laugh after taking initial offence.

Emma gulped slightly and figured that she had gotten away with it, but she could sense her mother's glare following her as she walked up to the toaster.

Fuck, she thought. "I'm gonna have to be more clever about this," she said to herself, inaudible to anyone but her.

 

  
*

 

 

Emma had just met Elsa. She had left the house right away after eating her toast because she wanted to avoid anymore questions. After meeting Elsa, decided to head to Mr Gold's shop, because if anyone knew where her sister was, or why Elsa's memories were gone, it was him. He always knew what was happening when it concerned magic - he was the Dark One. It was whether he was willing to say, that would be the problem. 

Elsa and Emma walked in to find Gold standing behind his desk, polishing a small metal cauldron. He was surrounded by glimmering relics of the Enchanted Forest in glass cabinets. At his right side, Belle was talking to him about something, though he looked too invested in polishing the cauldron to really concentrate on what she was saying. When the door bell rang, they both looked up at the two women entering.

 

After explaining a few things to him, Gold threw his hands up, "sorry to disappoint, but I've never seen her before."

Emma sighed, and in a sarcastic tone, asked, "well how did she end up in your urn?"

With an equal amount of sarcasm, he replied, "if you really wanna know how she wound up there, she's standing right beside you. Why don't you simply ask her."

Elsa, with arms crossed, nodded, "she did. But I can't remember why, something happened to my memories."

"An all too common affliction in these parts," he answered, "pity. But as you can see, many objects fall into my possession: urns, necklaces...all manner of things. I can't know the history behind all of them."

Emma crossed her arms and said, "you better not be lying. I can use my superpower you know."

"Well how about I make it easier for you." Gold replied, smugly, "I'll have Belle use the dagger..."

"No! Rumple. No, you don't have do that," Belle exclaimed, growing nearer to Rumple so as to show her support. God Emma didn't loath Belle, being in love with a man so vulgar would be her worst nightmare. 

"No, no. Miss Swan wants proof and I'm happy to co-operate. I told you I was turning over a leaf," Gold said looking at Belle, "and I am."

Emma curled her bottom lip watching this exchange and smiled slightly, as she could tell that in reality Rumple was being unhelpful as possible. She also, for some reason, just wanted to get Belle and remove her from this toxic relationship. Obviously they loved each other, but Rumplestiltskin was a serial liar, and only cared about one thing now Neal was gone, his magic. 

Belle sighed as she retrieved the dagger from its box, "fine. I command you, Dark One, to tell them the truth."

"The truth is," began Rumple, "just as I said. I had no idea there was someone inside there. I know nothing about Elsa or her sister. But I wish you the best of luck finding her."

Emma was suspicious. She'd sensed something off about Rumple, but if that was the Dark One dagger, then he was really telling the truth. It looked like her and Elsa would have to resort to other methods to find out what they needed to know. Honestly, Emma was kind of distracted, with the thoughts of poor Belle, and of missing Regina. She was missing her an irrational amount, especially considering they'd been spending a lot of time with each other recently. She wondered what business she had been attending to. Emma knew she needed to be on the ball to help Elsa, she felt as though it was her duty. She was warming to Elsa and saw a lot of her younger self in her, which made helping her marginally easier. They both made their way out of the shop and talked about what else they could do.

She couldn't stop herself, though, when her and Elsa were just walking silently. She took out her phone from her pocket and did something she rarely ever did.

She texted Regina.

 

_Missing you already_

 

_\- E_

 

Emma pulled the phone closer to her face and read over the very short sentence she had typed. Her finger was hovering over the send button. Fuck it, she thought. She clicked the button, smiled and put her phone back into her back pocket.

 

"Someone's happy," the voice said next to her.

Emma laughed, realising she must have smirked when she sent it, and said, "I am," in reply to Elsa's remark.

 

*

 

Regina was walking over to Granny's Cafe, her hair tied back in a pony tail as she hadn't had the time to wash it, when her phone buzzed in her jacket. She looked at the phone, to see the name **Emma Swan** shining bright out of the screen. 

She just stared at it for a moment, and swiped to open the message.

 

_Missing you already_

 

_\- E_

 

is what it read. She looked up from the phone and at the entrance of Granny's Café, then at the comic books tucked on her left side, then back at the phone. She smiled smugly but put her phone into her pocket, deciding to reply later. Robin had never texted her like that. Actually - she corrected herself - she wasn't much of a texter, so nobody had ever really texted her like that. But Robin was seemingly irrelevant to her now, which surprised her, a little. But not a lot, because Emma Swan was a lot better, if she was honest with herself. I mean, who else would miss her after all the time they'd been spending together? 

She opened the door of the Café, expectant to see her son whom she was meeting. With a face wide with a smile, she made her way up and sat on the stool next to him, placing the comic books she had bought down in-front of him.

"I didn't know which ones you were buying these days," Regina stated. She'd decided to get him some comic books for a while, but she'd had to get a lot of them online, so it wasn't until this morning that they'd shown up at her door. 

"These are awesome!" Henry gasped. "Much better than algebra, thanks. But you didn't have to do this."

Regina shook her head, smiling wide still, "well I wanted to. But don't get used to it."

"Isn't it funny," Regina added, "how these are just ink and paper, but everything in the storybook is real. Makes you wonder who wrote it, doesn't it?" She'd honestly been thinking about this for a few days. First, because of Robin, but not anymore. Now it was for Emma. 

Regina could detect confusion in her son's eyes when he replied, "the storybook? no-one knows..."

"Oh come on," Regina exclaimed, "you're such an expert on all this! You've read it cover-to-cover, and there's nothing in the book that gives even a clue?

Henry's smile thinned as he leant in, "what are you up to?" Is this...something to do with Operation Dragonfly?"

Regina hummed, paused, and then looked slightly nervous as she began explaining. "Well, yes...partially. These stories in the book, I was written as a villain and things never work out for villains. So I wanna find out who wrote this book, and make them... _ask_...them about... well if my happy ending is with Emma. I'm just so...worried that something will ruin what we have, like everything else has been ruined. I want to do anything in my capability to prevent that from happening...because what we have developed...it's good, it's great in-fact. But I don't want to tell her because she'll probably think I'm worrying too much. Is that crazy?"

"This is the best idea you've ever had!" Henry exclaimed, much to Regina's surprise, "we have to change the book because it's wrong about you, you're not a villain. We just need to find the clues."

"We?" Regina asked, "you'll help me?"

"It'll be our own secret mission!" Henry exclaimed excitedly, "but you do know that Emma would probably be fine with it, right?"

"I know she'd understand," Regina said, "but...honestly I'm just afraid that I'll lose her eventually, Henry. And I'm determined not to let that happen."

"Okay, I get that," Henry nodded, his youthful voice suggesting wisdom beyond his years.

"I'm guessing you want another code name," Regina asked with a slight smirk on her face.

"Yes, this one we'll call, operation..."

Regina noticed he was thinking, but she already had a name in mind. "Mongoose?" she asked.

His face lit up, "perfect! Operation Mongoose it is."

"And we'll only tell Emma if we succeed. I don't want it to seem...I don't know, too forward?" Regina asked, brown eyes wide.

"Okay, Mom." Henry smiled.

 

 ...

 

The brunette and her son had been sat talking for a while, then the door burst open and Robinhood was at the entrance of it.

Regina turned around immediately and did a double-take, as his face was stricken with worry and she was really hoping it wasn't at or for her. She could really do without him trying to win her back like she was some prize.

"Regina," Robin began.

 _Oh dear,_ thought Regina.

"Can we talk?" he asked, walking up to her.

"What are you doing here?" Regina spat.

"It's Marian - something's happened to her. I didn't know who else to turn to. I need your help."

After receiving a brief explanation over Marian's condition - apparently she was extremely cold to the touch, she'd fainted and ice had started to form on her, like she was freezing from the inside out - they had ventured to Regina's mayors office where Snow was residing (seen as she had adopted Regina's mayoral position while she took a short break)

The cheek, Regina had thought, of him coming to her, considering how he had discarded her. Despite this, she agreed to help, because none of that was Marian's fault, and she had quickly stopped feeling upset, anyway. She was too busy discovering all her feelings for Emma, the only one beside Henry who seemed to really matter.

Once they had reached Regina's office, Robin had immediately asked David, "how is she?"

"Not good," David exclaimed, "she's getting colder."

"Regina, thanks for coming," Snow smiled, walking slightly closer to Regina.

"Don't thank me until I've done something," Regina replied, trying to avoid looking at Snow as she was practically dating her daughter or loved her or whatever and it added a whole other layer of awkwardness to her already awkward relationship with her.

As she walked over to the couch - her couch - that Marian was lay on, she noticed a flash of colour in her office that she most definitely had not put there.

"Whose idea was that?" Regina spat, pointing at the framed photo of two colourful birds, her eyes hungry to verbally abuse the culprit.  

"I thought I'd put my own personal touch on the office," Mary Margaret said lightly, her bottom lip turning into a pout as her eyebrows raised so as to suggest she was thinking _oops._

"Well you've succeeded - hideously" Regina replied sarcastically. She then directed her energy back on Robin, and the suffering Marian.

"Is there anything you can do?" Robin asked, worriedly.

"This is strong magic, I can't stop it." Regina stated, "but maybe I can slow it down."

Just as she finished her sentence she saw a flash of ice blonde hair, and then familiar golden blonde hair. Emma had just walked in with Elsa. Regina looked at what Emma was wearing - a leather jacket, typical, and blue jeans that hugged in all the right places. Also typical, Regina thought. Emma didn't even intend to be attractive, yet she was. Her blue eyes locked onto Regina's immediately. 

"What happened?" Emma asked, her mouth wide as she looked over to Marian.

Regina had come to her conclusion as soon as she'd seen the frozen Marian. "Perhaps you should ask your new friend," she stated, looking over at Elsa. "After all it was her monster that attacked Marian."

Elsa looked from Marian to Regina. "This isn't my magic - someone else did this."

"Oh," Regina hummed, her mouth wide and her eyes suggesting sarcasm, "and we're supposed to just trust you?"

Emma looked at Regina, but not just at her, right into her. With that knowing look she knows her and Regina are accustomed to doing with each other.

"You can trust me. If she says it was someone else, it was."

Regina looked at the blonde's glimmering emerald eyes - with touches of blue - and nodded. True, she thought. She could trust Emma. But she wasn't so sure about the other blonde. She seemed...off. But maybe Regina was just jealous over how occupied Emma had been trying to help her. She probably was. It's not like Regina didn't know Emma loved her - she did, now, but...it hurt her to see her with other people sometimes. She never got like this with Robin, really. Sure, she did get jealous now and then, but she hadn't felt this way for a while. And this time it was different, deeper. 

"So," Henry broke the silence that developed, "how do we break the spell?"

Elsa folded her arms and walked over to Marian. "The only way to care a freezing spell is an act of true love -true love's kiss."

Robin looked at Regina so as to apologise. Emma looked from Regina to Robin with a twinge of jealousy, until she saw that Regina wasn't even fazed, and was in-fact making her way over to stand next to her. She figured Regina had either decided to show her she wasn't phased, or to move away from Robin. Maybe it was both. 

Robin lent over Marian and placed a soft kiss on her lips, lingering for a second, then standing up straight, confused as nothing had happened.

"I've seen this before with someone who was turned cold." David exclaimed, looking at Robin who looked hopeless.

"So the cold is acting as a barrier - is there nothing we can do?" Robin asked helplessly.

"Every curse is different, I need more time to study this one." Regina said bluntly.

Emma looked over at Regina, who had made her way back over to Marian. Her olive skin was brushed with a golden bronze, she was practically glowing. The slight pink blush on her cheeks only emphasised her sharp cheekbones. She had scraped her hair back, with a few brown bangs hanging in her face. Her lips were that luscious cherry-red that Emma found irresistible. God, she's gorgeous, Emma thought, Emma _always_ thought. Her eyes wandered to her body, and just before she could start checking her out, she noticed Regina's phone layout on the table. An immediate pang of anxiety flood through her body as she realised that Regina hadn't replied to her yet. Emma didn't mind texting, she often did it with her parents or Henry. But she wasn't big on it, and texting Regina was scary to her. And texting Regina that she missed her, that was a whole other level of scary, especially now she had realised she'd been ignored. I mean, maybe she was about to, Emma thought. Or maybe she was too busy helping Robin. Robin, she thought. Maybe he's professed his love to Regina...and maybe she's discovered that she doesn't like Emma in that way at all. Emma's stomach twisted at the thought. No, she assured herself, he contacted Regina to help save his wife. And Regina had revealed her feelings...she had nothing to worry about, right? God, she knew that this wasn't the time to be worrying.

"I'm gonna go find who did this before it happened again," Emma blurted, startling everyone due to how quiet she'd been.

"Well, I hope you bring backup," Regina replied just as Emma was walking out of the door with Elsa.

Emma turned around. She was totally caught off guard, hearing Regina's husky voice and seeing the glaring brown eyes. What had she meant by that? It sounded accusatory, almost.

"What the hell was that supposed to mean?" Emma asked, tucking her hands into the back pockets of her jeans as she stepped in Regina's direction.

"Well, between the snow monster and the cave-in...seems like the saviour needs saving these days." Regina replied, her tone of voice slightly aggressive.

She looked pissed for some reason, Emma observed. Honestly, it was freaking her out. First the text, now this. What had she done to upset her? Last time they had seen each other they'd had a really great time. She'd felt the warmth of the brunette against her and got lost in their sweet kisses. She really didn't have a clue what was happening. She couldn't snap back, she was too anxious the brunette had decided that actually, she didn't want Emma. It reminded her of all the rejection she faced when she was a young girl. She was still, even now, battling with this inner fear that everyone will eventually reject her.

Regina looked up at Emma. She was looking down at her feet and she looked pretty upset. Regina hadn't meant to snap at her, she actually kind of intended it as a joke but it didn't come out that way at all. Everyone was kind of silent, Snow was glancing up at Regina and Emma with inquiring eyes.

"I'm sorry dear," Regina said just as Emma turned on her foot to leave. "I...I didn't mean to snap at you. It was intended mostly as a joke."

Emma turned as she heard that last sentence. A joke? Oh well, maybe she was just being extra sensitive. Plus, hearing Regina apologise like that - in front of everyone, it was kind of liberating. It felt like she was showing her affection publicly, which up until now they had always been really subtle about. Or at least Emma thought.

Snow was glancing at them both, again. Emma smiled at Regina, at Snow and then looked back at Regina, "it's no problem."

And with that she headed out once again, figuring that getting out of that awkward environment was best.

"What happened there, then?" a voice asked. Emma turned to realise Elsa had followed her. Hell, she'd even forgotten what they were supposed to be doing.

"Oh, it's nothing." Emma stated, smiling up at Elsa, "I'm going to go and find who did this. Sorry to be a pain, but you're going to have to head to the sheriff's station. You'll be safe there, I don't want anyone to hurt you thinking whatever happened to Marian was you."

"That's kind of you..." Elsa began, "but, even if I did know where the sheriff's station was, and I don't by the way, I'd like to say, that was definitely not nothing. I could be wrong but, that definitely sounded like a lovers tiff."

Emma, who was now turned away from the long-haired blonde, looked down at her nails and mouthed, _**fuck.**_

Elsa lent over, her hand on Emma's shoulder. "Hey, it's okay. I won't tell anyone. That is if they don't already know. I'm assuming that you two don't want anyone to know?"

Emma turned around, "no. Henry knows, oh and Killian, who you know, but no-one else. I was hoping to keep it that way."

Elsa nodded, "I understand. I won't ask you anymore questions. But, everything you're doing for me...If you need to talk, I am here."

Emma already liked Elsa, understood her. But this honestly warmed her heart, ironically, and she'd never expected it.

"Thanks. But I'll show you to the station. You still need to stay safe." Just as Emma started to walk with Elsa, Killian shot out of nowhere, running up to them both. Not again, Emma thought.

"Swan. I overheard, would you like me to help her to the station?" Killian asked, stinking of rum.

"Umm." Emma hummed. Honestly getting a head start searching for whoever did this to Marian would be very helpful. But, could she leave the blonde with him, the alcoholic pirate? It was a fate worst than death. He stunk of desperation. Emma had wanted to be friends with him, but ever since she'd simply said no, he'd turned into more of a drunken idiot than he already was.

"I will go with him." Elsa directed at Emma. "You have done enough for me already."

"You sure?" Emma asked.

Elsa nodded, so Emma started walking away. But not before she added, "oh, and thanks Killian."

"No problem, Swan." He replied, winking as he walked away.

Emma shook her head and carried on her journey to find whoever did this to Marian.

 

*

 

It wasn't long into her journey before David had texted Emma, and they had met up to head into the forest. Emma, who had been searching for a while, was thinking about Regina again. Her thoughts always led back to her. She was worrying. Regina had apologised, yes, but there was still the possible Robin problem. And David kept speaking to her, and she could hardly concentrate. That's when she heard it. The text tone. She clicked her phone and the name lit up the screen: **Regina Mills.**

"Who's that?" David asked.

"Just Henry..." Emma stuttered, "telling me to hurry up."

She moved away from David slightly so she could open the message. It read:

 

_I missed you too, all morning in-fact. I was meeting Henry when you texted. Then Robin came in, worrying about Marian. So I didn't have time to reply to your text._

_Sorry, again. You don't need back-up. You're Emma Swan, the saviour._

_I almost said something cheesy then._

_Good luck finding who caused Marian's curse, she's getting worse._

_Stay over at mine, tonight?_

_\- R_

 

 

Emma couldn't help it. She felt butterflies in her stomach and her face lit up into a smile. She missed me, and I had worried over the text for nothing, she thought. And Regina nearly said something cheesy? What did she mean by that? She was definitely going to have to ask about that. And as for tonight, if she could make up a good lie about where she was going to be for the night, she could definitely stay over. Just like Regina had said, it was almost like they were kids, sneaking around to sleep over at each other's houses. That was a point, she'd always wondered what Regina's bedroom was like. She knew it was kinda weird, but she'd always envisioned it being immaculate and the bed linen silky and blood red, just like it was in the Enchanted Forest, but less dark and threatening. It wasn't all in a sexual way - of course that was part of her fantasy - but just in a, intrigued way, Emma just liked to know these things.

She slid up the keyboard and started typing.

 

_Tell me later what you were gonna say, when I...stay over._

_Me and David are just in the forest right now, he's glancing at me weirdly because I have a massive fucking smile on my face, so I probably won't be able to reply to you if you reply._

_We'll hurry._

_\- E_

 

Emma pressed send, and looked over to David, who raised his eyebrows. "Henry, huh?"

"Yes," Emma replied, "he's quite funny."

David shook his head. He then looked ahead, pointing as he spoke, "Robin and Marian's tent's up ahead. So, what exactly are we looking for?"

Emma was glad he shook off this. She replied, "if whoever cursed Marian has the same powers as Elsa, maybe they left a trail."

"So, we split up and we look for anything...cold."

Emma scoffed at this, "yeah."

"Well, shout if you need help and I'll-"

Emma cut in, aware of what he was going to say, "okay, yeah I got it."

Just as David left, she could hear clattering from the tent and it startled her at first.

Emma reached into her pocket and got her gun out. "Whoever's in there, come out," she shouted.

 

*

 

Regina was looking over the frozen Marian, who was no longer blue, but actually covered completely in ice. "The curse is working its way towards her heart," she observed, "once it touches...that's it."

Robin had tears in his eyes and had been pacing for what, to Regina, felt like the whole time she was there. "Is there nothing you can do?"

Regina sighed, feeling slightly helpless. But then she remembered, there was something. "There might be something," she began, "but only if you trust me completely."

Robin immediately nodded, "I do."

Regina nodded. "Then I'll send Henry to my vault to get what I need."

"Of course," Robin replied, "what are you going to do?"

Regina was going to take Marian's heart out, as it was the only way she could ensure that Marian would stay alive, even her body was missing a heart.

"Something drastic," Regina replied, glancing down at the frozen Marian and thinking to where Emma was up to with finding who did this.

 

*

 

Emma, David, and Will were headed to Storybrook's ice cream parlour. When Emma had discovered that Will, who was in Robin and Marian's tent stealing wasn't a threat, she'd proceeded to get David and see whether his claims that "the ice cream was still frozen solid" during blackout in the parlour were believable. She could sense with her superpower that at least he believed what he was saying, but it seemed unlikely. David had said they may as well give it a try, and so they did. They had just reached the parlour, and noticed it was closed with the blinds down, but they were open enough to see inside.

Emma strolled over to look inside. "I don't know. Looks pretty normal to me."

Will replied, his eyes wide, "it was bleeding cold in there, I'm telling you."

Emma threw her hands up and said, "yeah, because they sell ice cream."

"During the blackout." Will sassed back.

"Says the guy who's just trying to avoid jail," David intersected, his hands folded in a disapproving manner.

"I may be a thief, but I'm no liar and I can bloody well prove it." Will then proceeded to pick the lock, which made Emma laugh.

David rolled his eyes, "really? You think breaking in is gonna help your case?"

The thief sassed back, "can you just be quiet a second mate? I'm just trying to do this. Takes concentration. Bit tricky. It's all about--"

Emma couldn't help it. She butt in because she could see he was struggling. She was an expert at picking locks ever since Neal, and knew a beginner when she saw one. How he'd survived that long being that bad at picking a lock, she didn't know.

"Yeah, the tumblers. I got it."

"You do?" David asked, his tone surprised.

"Neal taught me a few things."

Immediately the door flew open and Emma smiled, chuffed with herself for yet again another successful break in.

They'd hardly been in there for a minute before Emma noticed the deafening silence in there. Surely there'd be some kind of generator, cooling the ice cream?

"Emma it doesn't look like-"

Emma held her hand up at David, "shh. Listen."

"I don't hear nothing," Will stated.

"Exactly," Emma exclaimed, "no compressor hum, means no cooling system. Smart ass here was telling the truth. Something's not right here."

Will raised his eyebrows to the back door. "Check the back. You'll see how right I am."

Emma and David nodded and walked into the back, where it was like an ice palace, everything frozen including the ceiling. "Well," David stated, "look at that. Looks like we owe Will an apology."

In the distance, the door bell rang and Emma and David looked at each other, realising they'd only gone and left a thief they had arrested, alone.

"Shit," muttered Emma as she ran out, seeing the cash register wide open. "He's gone. And he didn't leave empty-handed." She immediately charged into action, pelting towards the door.

"Emma," shouted David, "stop. He's not the most important thing right now."

Emma held back. She wouldn't have normally, but she agreed. They had basically worked out the source of the problem, another person perhaps like Elsa, and they were out there somewhere while Marian deteriorated.

And so her and David headed back to the forest.  

 

...

 

"No it wasn't," Emma could hear Elsa shouting somewhere not too far ahead of her, "you wanted them to think it was me. To blame me. Why?"

David turned to Emma and they both gave each other a knowing look and started running faster, towards the voice.

"I was trying to teach you a lesson," a mature voice replied, "eventually everyone turns on people like us, even friends. Even family. They're just waiting for a reason."

Emma ran into the clearing and saw who the voice was coming from. It was a woman older than herself, with long white hair and a long dress. There was a groaning coming from behind the woman, which was Killian, stuck in ice with some frozen droplets dangling over him. They must have come into the forest, instead of the police station where they were  _supposed_ to be. 

Shit, Emma thought. "Hey Dairy Queen!"

"Emma?!" questioned the woman. Emma frowned, she'd never seen her before. She didn't think. So how did she know her name? And actually, there was something oddly familiar about her.

"Do we know each other?" Emma asked.

"Of course not. Your reputation precedes you. Do you really think your magic is a match for mine?" The woman replied, controlling the ice droplets so they were sharper and closer to Killian.

"There's only one way to find out," shouted Emma, blasting the woman onto the floor. David ran over to Hook and started to try and cut him out of the ice while the droplets above him shook and threatened to fall.

Emma noticed the woman was recovering and she shot her hand out before Emma had any chance to stop it. She released the droplets.

Emma shot out her magic at David just in time, and he didn't get hit. The same couldn't be said for Killian, who was now no longer stood up, but laying down with his head trickling out blood.

David, Elsa and Emma all ran up to him in horror. Emma was terrified that her lack of aim had caused his death, but thankfully when she checked his pulse, he was alive. But injured, and out of it. They called an ambulance, which took Killian on a stretcher, and proceeded to search the clearing for the woman, who had completely disappeared.

"No sign of her. Not even tracks," Emma sighed, perching herself up on a tree.

"Hey, are you okay?" David asked, noticing her obvious stress.

Emma shook her head and said, "I'm fine, I just...maybe there is some truth to what Regina said. She meant nothing by it but Killian could have died and he doesn't deserve that, despite being a drunken fool...and now I can't even find the woman who is causing these problems..."

"We're gonna find her. Don't let Regina shake your confidence. Speaking of, what's going on there?"

"What do you mean?" Emma asked, putting on her best clueless voice.

"Oh come on," David sighed, "I have eyes."

"Nothing, just the normal stuff." Emma replied, leaping off the tree and adding, "I'm just worried about that woman...she acted like she knew me, it was weird."

"Well you are the sheriff, and the saviour, and royalty," David scoffed, "I think pretty much everyone in Storybrooke knows who you are."

Emma shook her head, knowing to trust her own instincts. "No, there's something more."

"You will find her, Emma. Don't stop believing in yourself."

Emma smiled at her father's attempts to make her feel better. She was just slightly distressed at not being able to do any actual saving. She took out her phone, not caring that Regina hadn't replied.

 

_I need a hug,_

_\- E_

 

She typed and didn't even re-read her message before pressing send. She wanted a Regina hug. She wanted to smell her sweet smell and get lost in the chocolate pools of her eyes. She wanted to lean into her neck and feel her arms around her. She wanted reassurance that she was still wanted. Unfortunately, the previous text hadn't sufficed, and Regina being in Robin's presence put Emma on edge.

 

*

 

Regina heard the text notification and saw her phone glow up. Unfortunately, she was too busy consoling a distraught Robin, who was standing over his wife with a look of pure worry and devastation. "Roland's with little John now. I wish I could have told him I did everything I could." 

Regina sighed, " even true love's kiss can't solve every problem." She wondered if something happened to her if Emma would give her true love's kiss. It was probably silly of her to think this so early on into their - well, whatever it was. 

Robin turned his head away from his wife and looked at Regina with tears in his eyes, "well there's a reason that kiss didn't work. And it's not what everyone else thinks. I'm in love with someone else."

Regina's jaw dropped and she stuttered a little. She wasn't one to swear, really, but she found herself thinking  ** _shit_**. She really didn't need this, need him deciding that he wanted her back. To tell the truth, not being with him was like a breath of fresh air, and being with Emma, it felt so right. 

"I..." Regina began, "I'm sorry to hear that Robin. But I have to be honest, I know you're sticking behind Marian anyway...But I'm afraid I no longer feel the same."

"Oh," Robin muttered awkwardly.

It was at this point, Regina averted her eye contact and looked anywhere but at Robin. He was just about to say something else, but thankfully for Regina she saw her son bursting through the door, box in hand.

"You really need to clean that vault out," Henry announced, walking up to Regina while gesturing to the box, "but I found it."

Regina sighed in relief, both that he had come back at the perfect time (so she could avoid facing Robin) and that he had retrieved a box for Marian's heart.

Regina, with reluctance, looked up at Robin and asked, "you're sure you still want me to do this?"

Hardly looking at her, but instead at his wife, Robin simply replied, "yes."

Regina nodded and took a few step fowards to the frozen Marian. She'd done this many times as the Evil Queen - ripped innocent's hearts out and murdered them. But this time, she was doing it to help someone. She marvelled slightly at how far she had come, she could never have predicted it. Not even for a second.

It was as this thought entered her mind, that she threw her hand into Marian's frozen chest. It was freezing and a lot tougher than normal, but with a few tugs she eventually managed to rip it out, with a crunch. Robin watched anxiously as his ex put his wife's heart in a box.

"At least the ice hasn't touched her heart," Regina stated, still trying to comfort the man who was in obvious distress, probably for two reasons now.

"So she'll simply stay like this? Alive but...frozen?"

Regina nodded at Robin, "until we find a cure. And I will find one." She knew that this was the right thing to do, and it was also something that Emma could help her with.

Just as she had thought about her, Emma walked through the door.

Robin, Henry and Regina all looked up to her, when Henry asked, "any luck finding the one who did this?"

"Well, kid," Emma began, tossing her jacket off which seemed to bang as if it had tonnes of stuff in it. "We saw who it was for sure. It was the woman who works in the ice cream store. But she got away. Also, Killian's pretty badly injured, but David rang the hospital and he's awake now, at least. Elsa's staying with us for a bit, but yeah. No luck, really, sorry Robin."

He tried to smile in response but, looking over at Marian, it was obvious to everyone he really wasn't okay.

Regina walked over to the blonde, her hair messy and wind-swept, "you'll find her dear. You're good at this." She rubbed Emma's arm, and it didn't go unnoticed by Robin, something about the way his facial features twitched just suggested he'd thought of something.

Regina looked down at Marian and realised she couldn't exactly move her from the room. Thankfully, the office was far from the many bedrooms upstairs that Emma would find herself in. That is, if she was still willing to stay over. "You are, of course, welcome to stay with Marian in here if you so wish." Regina gestured to Robin.

He huffed slightly and said, "well I need to get back to Little John for Roland. And I'm not helping anybody by just staring at her. Promise you'll keep her safe for me?"

"Of course," Regina nodded, "I'll lock the door to this room when I go to sleep tonight."

"Thanks," Robin replied, grabbing his jacket and walking out of the room. But not before he walked back in, covered Marian in a blanket and awkwardly rushed back out again.

Emma and Regina, who had moved for him to walk out both looked at each other with that same look.

Henry waited until Robin had left to ask, "so what's in the jacket?" he pointed to Emma's brown leather jacket which was slung down on a chair.

"Oh, just some stuff to stay the night in." Emma glanced over at her kid, his face glowing as he looked at both of his moms. She'd seen him happy many, many times. But this was a different kind of happy that he carried.

"You're staying over?! Cool! Can we all watch some movies again? But later, because Regina gave me some new comics and I think I'll read them for a bit."

Emma looked over to Regina, not for her approval so much but for her reaction, to which she nodded and replied to him, "of course we can dear."

"Great." Henry beamed at them both, "I'm gonna go grab a bite to eat." 

Emma walked over to the chair where her jacket was and sat down, "jeez kid. You're always hungry." Talking about hungry, Emma felt her stomach growl and realised she was, too. And this was kinda hypocritical coming from her.

Both Regina and Henry raised their eyebrows and then Henry pounced up, exclaiming, "well I had to get it from somewhere," as he left the room smirking.

Regina and Emma laughed. Then emerald eyes met brown, and Emma just melted. God, she would have leapt out of that chair faster than a cheetah but she was too exhausted.

"Come here," she pouted at Regina, whose face still glowing.

"I didn't have time to check your text," Regina declared, turning to check it to read Emma's, _I need a hug._

"I never had you down for the clingy one, Miss Swan." Regina's voice was husky as she said this, walking over to Emma slowly, with a glint in her eye.

"Shh, I'm not. It's just you, you have this effect on me. But yeah. I do need a hug, get down here and hug me." Emma didn't have to usher her over for too long, as Regina had bent down, one hand on each arm of the chair.

"What kind of effect?" Regina teased. She then proceeded to take out her bobble and she swished her hair slightly over Emma.

Emma raised her eyebrows and gave in, she leant up to kiss Regina on the lips, and found herself standing up so she could wrap her arms tight around the brunette. She sighed in content as the brunette relaxed into her arms and moved her head to her shoulder.

"Lots." Emma mumbled, with earned her a chuckle from Regina. "So, apart from, the obvious," Emma moved to make eye contact with Regina, and gestured to the covered Marian, "what was going on with you and Robin?"

Regina moved slightly out of Emma's embrace, and asked, "what do you mean?"

"There was just, well I detected something. I know it's been weird since you broke up but, he's never normally that awkward with you."

Emma slumped back down into the chair and held onto Regina's hand, gesturing her to sit on her knee. She obliged, wrapping her arms around Emma.

"He basically told me the true love's kiss didn't work because he isn't in love with her. He's in love with me."

Emma averted her eye contact with her lover and shuffled slightly so Regina was in a better position on her lap. She had dreaded something like this happening.

"And, what do you think? What did you say to him?" She asked, gazing up at Regina who was shimmering in the warm light of the lamps. She looked ethereal to the blonde, the way her every move was just like something out of a movie. Her beauty, out of comprehension.

"What do you think I thought?" Regina asked, glancing down at Emma into her green blue pools, "you can't possibly think I'd change my mind?"  

"Well, I don't know," Emma answered, "this only got to develop like it has because he was out of the question."

"Emma." Regina stated, her facial expression serious, "I would have always found my way to you, dear. Just as you would have found your way to me. The way that everything feels right, well...I think that's why. Because everything between us has led up to now, this moment, when we both know and recognise how we feel, and are willing to do something about it."

"Do you genuinely believe that?" Emma asked. She believed it, but to hear it from the other woman that if she was honest, she _adored,_ it was almost unbelievable.

"Yes dear," Regina smiled, "do you?"

"Oh god, of course." Emma replied quickly, shuffling Regina even closer to her than she already was.

"Good." Regina smiled, her brown eyes sparkling as they met green. 

Emma placed her hand in Regina's brown hair and pulled her into a kiss, and a soft moan slipped through Regina's lips due to it being unexpected. Emma shuddered at the moan and continued to kiss her, a smile appearing on her lips.

A bang came from behind them and an, "ew gross," from their son.

"Oh," Regina mumbled, removing her lips from Emma's.

"I was just gonna ask if you guys wanted anything to eat, but it seems like you're already eating each other's faces sooo..."

"Henry!" exclaimed Regina, who couldn't help smirking slightly, "but no, thanks dear. Not for me, anyway."

"I'd love something," Emma lent over, "but I'll go grab something, you go and read your comics so we can watch the film quicker."

"Sure," Henry nodded, leaving them behind.

"It's about time we moved out of here anyway," Regina declared, "it's a little bit inappropriate to kiss right next to poor Marian over there." She then shuffled off Emma and pulled at her arm, "come on."

"It's not like she can hear or see anything," Emma replied jokingly, standing up to follow Regina out of the office. She had grabbed her jacket and Regina, like promised, had locked the door behind them.

 

...

 

Regina's eyes lit up in delight at the recent revelation of Emma's. "I can't believe David spotted the difference between us," she laughed, scooping the last bit of pasta off her fork and walking over to grab Emma's plate. 

"Not just Mary Margaret who's spotted something," Emma huffed, laughing along with Regina who, after putting the dishes away, was walking over to Emma. 

"How about we call Henry down, it's been a few hours now hasn't it? If we wait any longer we won't be able to finish the movie. Henry shouldn't stay up this late really..." 

Emma laughed at how much Regina was such a sweetie when it came to Henry. "He's a lot more grown up now Regina," she replied, smiling up at her. 

Regina frowned slightly and shook her head, "I know...I forget sometimes. I still see him as my little boy...well, our..." before she could continue, Emma shook her head and added, "you can say he's your son, Regina. I never thanked you, I don't think, for all you did while I wasn't here. I had my reasons, and I stand by them. But I missed out on so many years of his life, you were there, regardless of how you used to be, you loved him. He is my son, but he's also your son. That's the joy of it, this. We can spend time with him, together. I think he's just always wanted that, more than anything. And it's about time that we give him that. You can see how happy he is, can't you?"

"Yes, dear. I can, and the fact he has this secret Operation with us both, he's probably enjoying it more than ever." Regina replied, laughing.

Emma looked down and laughed back, "definitely."

Regina looked at her for a second, a twinge of guilt surfacing due to her other Operation with Henry. She felt the impulse to tell her, merely so she just wasn't keeping anything back. But she knew until they got anywhere, this was probably the best option. 

"Anyway," added Emma, "speaking of our son, I'll go grab him." She proceeded to leap up out of her seat to kiss Regina on the cheek. "Thanks for the food," she added, running up the stairs to grab their son. 

 

 ...

 

Emma was curled up in Regina's bed waiting for her to return from the bathroom. They'd stayed up rather late with Henry and watched Star Wars: Episode III. To her surprise, Regina had actually enjoyed the movie. She'd commented on the graphics being better than she'd expected, to which Henry had replied that they filmed the prequel after the original films. Emma liked those movies herself, but she didn't think for one second that Regina would be able to bear them. Again they all went up to bed smiling, cheesy as it was, Emma knew how happy it had made them. She shuffled deeper into the luscious silk sheets, chuckling to herself slightly. She couldn't remember the last time that she'd felt this content. 

A husky voice shocked her slightly, its owner taking the towel off her hair as she strolled in regally, "something funny, dear?"

Emma cleared her throat and looked at Regina from head-to-toe. _Obviously_ she looked gorgeous without any makeup. _Obviously_ she looked absolutely impeccable with small water droplets still on sliding down her skin.  _Obviously._

"No. Well, uh, yeah. This, us. In a good way. It's making me laugh because we're so domesticated right now. It feels so sudden, but not, you know? Like totally right...agh, I don't...words..." Emma stuttered, pulling a strange face and looking to Regina in the hope her verbal diarrhoea hadn't pissed her off.

"I take it, then, that was a compliment?" Regina asked, one eyebrow arched.

"Yeah, something like that," Emma replied, sighing at herself. She looked at Regina again. "Not to sound rude or anything, but did you come in here for something? You look as though you had something to say, or search for. Or did you just come to tease me? Because fuck, you've succeeded, you look gorgeous."

Regina smirked, shuffled the towel on her body and laughed. "All of the above, I have to confess. I was looking for my brush, I was going to let you know that the shower is tricky to use, and if you plan to shower I can show you how to use it. Also..." she sighed, "yes, I wanted to tease you, what can I say? Guilty as charged."

"Knew it." Emma laughed, "also, your brush is over there. I kinda used it, if we're confessing things. I forgot mine. I probably won't use the shower, but thanks anyway."

Regina tutted with a smirk on her face and picked up the brush off the dresser. "That's fine, I will be with you shortly."

Regina strolled out proudly, but as she walked out of the room, her towel got caught on the handle and started to slip off. It was one big dramatic moment with arms flailing everywhere and Emma neither moving to help her or stopping laughing. The next thing she knew she had a front-seat view of Regina's back and butt, and boy was her body gorgeous.

Emma heard Regina mutter "shit" as she pulled the towel back at her, which was probably the first time she'd heard her cuss. "You okay Regina?"

"Yes," she replied, face blushing, "I meant to do that, clearly."

"Clearly," Emma replied, shaking her head and laughing.

Regina laughed back and hurried out. It wasn't long before she surfaced, donning a purple silk pyjama top with matching pants.

"Nice," Emma commented, watching her every move as she made her way over to the bed.

"Do you have to comment on everything?" Regina asked, with a lightness in her voice to suggest the compliments were something she wasn't used to.

"Didn't Robin?" Emma replied.

"No, actually. But not like you and him can even be compared." Regina replied, eyebrow cocked as she shuffled into bed beside Emma.

"Are you glad you chose me?" Emma asked, looking into Regina's eyes.

"After me and Robin broke up, after I found out about what happened between you and the older me, after I stopped being so stubborn and admitted my real feelings, there was no other option. You and Henry. I am glad I chose you. I am looking forward to whatever becomes of this. I am aware as much as you that it is still early days. But this feels right, even in this short space of time." She looked up to Emma as she said this, and shuffled closer to her.

Emma wrapped her arm around her and kissed her forehead. "Even after Robin told you he was still in love with you?" She asked.

"More so. My feelings were reinforced today. I almost wanted to laugh, which is probably incredibly...Evil Queen-esque of me..."

"Maybe a little. But I like her too," Emma winked, laughing.

"I sure know you do," Regina replied, shuffling in Emma's arms. "I know this sounds crazy, but I'm slightly annoyed that she got to make love to you first."

Emma gulped slightly and looked at Regina in surprise. She hadn't expected that.

"I hadn't even thought about it like that..." Emma replied, disappointment in her voice. "That's...actually pretty sad. I feel bad now."

"Oh no!" Regina exclaimed, squeezing her arm. "I did not intend to make you feel bad, dear. It was just a thought, but now I realise how it would sound."  

"Well," Emma began, pushing the covers back and leaning into kiss Regina, "we have lots of time for that."

Regina smiled, "indeed we d-" but was broken off by the soft, warm lips of the blonde lover.

Emma moved onto Regina as the kiss progressed, heat immediately rising in the room. Tongues clashed with teeth and Emma could hear Regina's sultry moan whenever their tongues collided. Emma stopped kissing her, her hands in Regina's hair, "will you stop with that moan. You did it earlier. It's gonna kill me."

Regina's eyes flew open and a cunning smile formed on her lips. "What a superb euphemism," she replied, her eyes flickering with something dark as she leant up to Emma's ear, nibbled the lobe slightly, breathed and moaned quietly down her ear.

Emma felt shivers down her spine and moaned in response. "That was mean," Emma replied, pushing Regina down to see her biting her lip. 

"Oh I know. Mostly because I know, and you know, that we won't initiate anything with Henry in the house. And too, with a frozen Marian. Also, let's not forget the fact it's early days."

"You're evil," Emma replied haphazardly, then on realising what she'd said, she started laughing and Regina shook her head chuckling, "they didn't call me that for nothing."

"Come here." Emma commanded, breaking the eye contact so she could pull her up into the kiss. She then pushed her down, kissing her chin, then her neck, then her chest. Emma was filled with lust and unbuttoned the pyjama shirt without a pause. She gazed at Regina's expression, her eyes watching Emma's every move as she moved to kiss Regina's breasts. On earning more moans, Emma continued, kissing them until her mouth reached the hard peaks. She looked up at Regina who was biting her lip. Taking her tongue, she softly licked one nipple while squeezing the other breast. Regina's hands made their way into Emma's hair, tugging, she exclaimed, her voice shaking, "if you go any further I'm afraid I won't be able to shut up. And that would be a problem."

"Oh, I know," Emma replied, "I'm just paying you back for that moan."

Regina pouted slightly, and Emma immediately removed her head from her chest and climbed up so she was near her face. "I suppose payback has been done. It's better for the both of us that we leave this now, pick it up some other time, yes?"

Regina smiled cunningly, aware her pouting had worked, she put her arm on Emma's shoulders and pushed her down underneath her. "You have too much of a soft spot for me," her voice said, full of husk as her brown eyes surveyed Emma's face, which was plastered with arousal.

"I should have saw that coming," Emma replied, watching Regina out of the corner of her eye as she lent to kiss her cheek. Tracing the kisses down to her chest.

Emma couldn't help a moan slipping from her lips, which earned her a squeeze on her breasts as Regina looked up and responded, "your moans _kill me_ too."

 

...

 

She did exactly what Emma had done to her own chest. But Regina's knee had found its way in-between Emma's legs, and she had pressed into her every so often, just to gain more of a reaction. They had both gone to the toilet, and were now cuddled up.

"You do realise I'm totally gonna pay you back for that knee technique when we actually make love, right?" Emma asked, spooning Regina.

"I do not doubt it," Regina replied sleepily.

Emma lent across to the nightshade and turned it off.

"What was that cheesy thing you nearly said to me on text earlier?" Emma asked, her question lingering in the air.

"Oh that," Regina chuckled, "I was going to say that you're my saviour. Then I stopped myself. Because neither of us need saving, least of all you."

Emma smiled. She never liked the idea of being the saviour, and knowing she didn't have to be, knowing that Regina didn't have to be for her too, it felt right. Like everything else about them both did.

"That's great to hear out-loud. It's like we're stronger together, more whole, but we were never halves of anything. But we still fit. Crazy." Emma replied.

"That's definitely it dear," Regina replied beside her, her head sinking further into the pillow. Emma moved to snuggle more into Regina's neck. She drifted into sleep smelling the sweet cinnamon of Regina's shower gel.

 


End file.
